Slow Food Nation '08

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Slow Food Nation?

  The largest celebration of American food in history, it will bring together tens of thousands of visitors to San Francisco to experience an extraordinary range of activities highlighting the connection between your plate and the planet. Slow Food Nation will feature tastings, chef demonstrations, a major conference on food values, social justice and the environment, an urban farm, a music festival and workshops, forums, films and interactive exhibits.

• When and where is Slow Food Nation?

  Labor Day Weekend, Friday, August 29 to Monday, September 1, 2008. Most events will be held in Civic Center and Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA

• Where can I buy tickets? How much will they cost?

  Most of Slow Food Nation will be open to the public. Certain events will be ticketed and prices vary from $10 to $100+ for different events. For tickets, please visit: tickets.slowfoodnation.org.

• How many people will be at Slow Food Nation?

  We are expecting 40,000-50,000 visitors over the four-day weekend.

• Why should I attend Slow Food Nation?

  The event will provide an opportunity to connect us to American farmers and producers, learn their stories and give consumers the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the role we all play in preserving America’s landscape and food traditions. On the eve of a Presidential election, a world food crisis, continued global warming and a controversial Farm Bill, it is more important than ever before for us to come together to build the momentum needed to create a healthy and sustainable food system for all people. At Slow Food Nation, you’ll experience authentic flavors and hear inspiring ideas that represent and support the diversity of American food.

• How were the farmers and producers chosen for the Marketplace and Taste Pavilions?

  Slow Food Nation received hundreds of product nominations through grassroots involvement in the event–from Slow Food USA members’ nominations, to chefs, to individual visitors to our web site who nominated products. The curators of Slow Food Nation were responsible for nominating many products for inclusion in the Marketplace as well as selecting the right mix of products for the individual Taste pavilions. Throughout our planning process, the Slow Food Nation team evaluated all of these products, as well as decisions to include forum topics, films, and more, based on a broad value map. Our overarching mission at Slow Food Nation is supporting a food system that is good (delicious), clean (environmentally sound) and fair (socially just). In translating those broad values into event experiences, Slow Food Nation defined “experiential values,” i.e., the goals we have for an individual’s sensation and emotion during the event. Beyond these experiential values, we defined a further level of goals: that each product, each panel, each single element of the event tell a diverse and unique story. Ideally, all products featured met all of these criteria, but often we worked to balance the various values.

• How is Slow Food Nation funded?

  Slow Food Nation is funded by ticket sales (20% of revenue), corporate sponsors (50% of revenue), foundations (25% of revenue) and philanthropists (5% of revenue). Corporations interested in supporting a broad cultural shift towards sustainable food systems and increased consumer awareness of food issues have provided Slow Food Nation with the crucial capital necessary to underwrite this first edition of the event. Slow Food Nation has also received critical support from forward-thinking foundations, including general start-up capital used to fund the initial operating costs of Slow Food Nation in 2008 and program-specific funding. Philanthropists have also been crucial to supporting Slow Food Nation’s development over the past 18 months, providing support for staff hours and infrastructure development necessary to bring this event to life. Slow Food Nation’s total budget is just over $2 million but the actual cost of the event is easily double if the incredible in-kind resources donated by all types of partners are included in the bottom line. This ranges from curators, to architects, media partners and individuals across the country who have generously given their time, know-how and passion to make Slow Food Nation a reality.

• What is Slow Food USA?

  Slow Food USA is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to supporting and celebrating the food traditions of North America through programs and activities dedicated to Taste Education, Defending Biodiversity and Building Food Communities. Slow Food USA believes that pleasure and quality of life is greatly increased when we make time to cook and share meals with family and friends using ingredients that honor our traditions and our land.

  The Slow Food movement was founded in 1989 and flourishes in 131 countries around the globe. Currently supported by 83,000 members worldwide (16,000 members in the U.S.), Slow Food’s ethos is defined by the belief that food is a common language and a universal right and an appreciation for slowing down and savoring the convivial traditions of the table. Established in 2000, non-profit Slow Food USA has grown to 200 local chapters in 47 states. Its members include culinary professionals and food enthusiasts, farmers and food producers, educators and students. Slow Food USA envisions a world in which all people can eat delicious food that is good for them, good for the people who grow it and good for the planet.

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