Although the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival thoroughly honors the prized leafy green, this annual event is also a celebration of health, community, urban agriculture and dietary education. The festival returns to St. Petersburg's Dr. Carter G Woodson Museum at 2240 9th Ave. S on Saturday, Feb. 19.
Expect the streets surrounding the southside museum to be filled with collard-lovers from about 10 a.m.-5 p.m. during the day of the celebration. Recently inaugurated St. Pete mayor Ken Welch will give the opening statement to kickstart the annual festival off.
In addition to collard greens prepared every way you can imagine, the day-long block party will feature live entertainment, a celebrity chef appearance, cooking demonstrations, giveaways from community sponsors and the main event of the evening—a highly-anticipated collard green cook-off.
This festival is also a culmination of different community organizations such as the St. Pete Youth Farm and the Sierra Club, as well as food vendors like Pop Goes the Waffle, Ray's Vegan Soul Food, and food truck Bowlz and Bunz. And for folks that still don’t feel comfortable attending in-person events, there will also be a streaming option to virtually attend 2022’s Collard Green Festival. More information about this can be found on the festival website closer to the event.
According to the festival organizers, the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival as a charity, aims “to inspire healthier communities through urban agriculture, culinary experience, nutritional education, fitness, and family fun.”
The Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival was founded by St. Petersburg residents Boyzell Hosey and Samantha Harris back in 2018, in hopes of holistically promoting healthier lifestyles in the African American community, according to a ‘Your Real Stories’ interview from last year.
Links to donate to the festival or enter into the collard green cook-off can be found on its website, in addition to a day-of schedule as the celebration edges closer. You can also follow @tampabaycgf on Facebook for the latest updates.
