Kalamazoo Valley Foodways Symposium 2023

2023 Theme: FOOD AND MEDIA

Virtual Keynote Address:

In today’s digitally obsessed moment, we sometimes think of food media as only beautiful images of food on Instagram or the latest viral TikTok trend. But food media is much broader than what beckons from our smartphones, and it has a long history. Food media gathers food images, content, ideas, and stories in various forms: cookbooks, food memoirs, newspaper restaurant reviews and criticism, food art, food films and documentaries, cooking television, blogs, dietary advice, food packaging, advertising, and so on. What’s more, food itself is a medium, as it connects humanity. Food opens up novel, meaningful, and sensory ways of communicating with one another and with the natural world around us. In this year’s symposium keynote, join us for a special conversation with Dr. Emily Contois who will be thinking deeply, across time and media forms, about how food and food media connect us, and why that bond is so important now. There will also be ample time for audience Q&A and conversation, which is warmly welcome.

Outdoor Celebration:

We invite you to join us on the beautiful property of the Food Innovation Center of Kalamazoo Valley Community College for a fun celebration of food and community. The event will feature live music, food vendors, coffee, cooking demos, community organizations, composting lessons, seed exchange, planting herbs, youth activities, and a special foraging workshop by Gabrielle Cerberville (@Chaoticforager). For updates on schedule, follow us on social media (ValleyHUB KVCC), and watch the discussion thread of this event. We hope to see you there!