ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — We’ve all heard the term food desert, but in South St. Pete this weekend, they are introducing a food forest. It’s all part of the Natural Food Festival at Deuces Corner.
“The Deuces is sort of like the heart of the African-American community," said organizer Sharlene Edwards. "it has been the heart of the art, culture, economic center for many, many years."
Edwards and Shundra Allison helped start the Natural Food Festival back in 2019.
“The whole idea was to introduce plant-based eating to black and brown communities and really just tell people about the benefits,” said Edwards. “So, it’s just a day of celebrating natural foods, natural products, healthy eating.”
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic put the festival on a long hiatus, but Saturday, May 20, it’s back, and with a new addition, the grand opening of the Deuces Food Forest.
“We are lacking healthy options in our community, so the Deuces Food Forest is set up to bring in our urban produce to be able to sell and set up so we have those options,” Allison.
A project years in the works, Sharlene and Shundra are now hoping to turn it over to the public.
“Recruiting the community to help build it, to help sustain it, and then tell us what they want to see there so it's not just us pushing information, it's a two-way street, where people tell us what they are interested in and we make it available,” said Edwards.
“At the end of the day, it is for the community,” said Allison.
The festival is the perfect time for families to try some of those healthier options.
“We’re also going to open up our pallets with some mindful tasting so that you can taste something new, something different, and really kind of roll it around in your head, think about how it makes you feel,” said Edwards.
The Natural Food Festival runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 20 at Deuces Corner. There are expected to be up to 50 vendors in attendance.
