Piedmont Food Fest to once again celebrate diverse cultures
Free event returns Saturday with popular vendor Swahili Spot and young Black musicians from Oakland-based Hiiiwav
At the annual Piedmont Food Fest, giving lip service to diversity, equity and inclusion isn't a half-hearted gesture but a full compliment, an expression of curiosity and sincere appreciation and a solid commitment to new experiences.
Entering its third year Saturday, the free community event goes well beyond savory and sweet taste satisfaction to include treats for the eyes and ears with an eclectic list of Bay Area performing artists, a KidZone and an expanded sense of community achieved by reaching out to multicultural vendors, nonprofits and other organizations across the Bay Area to establish partnerships.
“The mission we put in place from the beginning was to celebrate the multicultural cuisine, art and artists of the broader Bay Area,” lead organizer Roger Tsai said in a recent interview. “Success is determined by how many local businesses we showcase, how many different cultures we bring on stage.
“It's all predicated on having a multifaceted event. Celebrating our differences is what the festival is about.”
Piedmont Food Fest 3 comes together under the auspices of a core group of volunteers who form the planning team and include Tsai, Diana Lee (Piedmont Racial Equity Campaign), Kala Hale (former event planning, Mills College), Judy Jang Jan (Rob Skate Academy board), Robert Dorsey (Robert Dorsey Catering) and a list of advisors.
Considerable contributions to the efforts involved in organizing the festival that runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Piedmont Park (piedmontfoodfest.org) come from many of the food, beverage and retail vendors; performers, community partners and sponsors; and individuals who provide marketing, design and website support.
“There's the core of about 20, and on the actual day, we've grown from about 50 extra volunteers the first year to about 80 this year,” Tsai said. “So there are over 100 volunteers on (Saturday) making it happen.
“It's exciting to see volunteers from Piedmont but also people coming out from all over the bay. That's kind of the goal. It's hosted by Piedmont, but the point is bringing together the collective community found throughout the region.”
Performers scheduled on Piedmont Park's center stage reflect a spectrum of achievement, from accomplished midcareer artists to rising youth talent.
This year's roster features Oakland Taiko, Great Wall Youth Orchestra, Beloved Little Circus, O Hina'aro Nui Tahitian dance and music school performers, Amor do
Samba, No Immigrants No Spice, the Devendra Sharma Folk Opera Ensemble, and two young artists presented in Oakland-based Hiiiwav Black Artist Incubator's showcase: jazz musician Ayo Brame and singer-songwriter August Lee Stevens.
“Hiiwav was started by Grammy Award-winning artist and innovator Bosko Kante,” Tsai said. “Hiiiwav is an incubator that helps local Black musicians build sustainable careers in music by providing recording space and helping them learn the business and make connections (hiiiwav.org).
“They've been a food fest partner since the beginning and we've featured five artists from their incubator over the past two years and have these two amazing artists this year. I love how he's (Kante's) built a platform to support local artists.”
Another lovable item Tsai chooses to highlight comes from Swahili Spot (swahilispot.com), a food vendor that in the first year was so popular that owner Priscilla Mkenda had to send her sister to the store to pick up more supplies during the event.
“It's Tanzanian food and our attendees just embraced them, which is why they almost sold out,” he said. “They found enough value to come back three times. I love that people know they can come to food fest to try something new and have their interests piqued.
“What did I eat? I had their Bongo beef rice bowl that had beef spiced differently, and it was hearty, with flavorful vegetables and rice. It reminded me of my time in Tanzania climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.”
Tea on Piedmont, a small business owned by Piedmont resident Grace Shen, will offer boba tea and other varieties aimed at fostering what Shen said is her mission to introduce people to the complete culture and appreciation of tea. Oakland Bloom, another scheduled food and drink provider, is an Oakland nonprofit that helps refugees build food businesses and is led by James Beard Leadership Award winner Diana Wu.
“Many of our vendors and sponsors took a chance on us three years ago and have returned,” Tsai said. “Some have increased their support. They believe in the mission, not just dollars and cents. They believe in supporting the community.”
Tsai said Piedmont and 50 founding families who provided the seed money to launch the festival have played similar, significant roles.
“Within two weeks we had strong backing from those families that allowed us to do this. The city was supportive of this new experience run by residents and individuals. They (Piedmont city officials and staff) helped promote it and allowed it to happen.”
Extending beyond the two examples, Tsai said the festival's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion will continue in part because of connections to various Piedmont school district groups and local nonprofits, such as the Piedmont Anti-Racism and Diversity Committee and the Piedmont Racial Equity Campaign.
“They're long-standing groups focused on multicultural experiences and diversity,” he said. “They help advise on our cuisine curation, programming and other aspects.
“We set a strong baseline and look for blind spots, and by being intertwined with local groups and listening to community members, we make sure everyone's invited to the table. Families and individuals come with excitement and enthusiasm for trying new things and appreciating different perspectives brought together.”
Though Piedmont Food Fest is admission-free, Tsai noted two ticketed categories: the $25 KidZone access pass that includes unlimited games and crafts; one snow cone, a few a la carte drink options and a premium beverage package that ranges from $10 to $50.
He said the food fest raised more than $100,000 in its first two years for small businesses and drew 1,500 people. This year, expecting to build on the numbers in 2023 and with interest remaining high, Tsai predicted more than 2,000 attendees and said Swahili Spot will come fully supplied and well-prepared to dash to a grocery store should that be necessary.