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WNC Food Coalition

WNC Food Coalition is building a strong local food system by coordinating WNC Food Hub Collaborative, Local Food Councils, Rural Food Box Delivery, and dozens of free food pantries built in partnership with community partners throughout the region.

Picklepalooza 2026 is a pun-filled, fun-filled event featuring a pickleball tournament, quick pickling and&nbsp;activities for the kids, and opportunities to learn more about fermentation and how to make your abundant garden and CSA produce last well into winter! 🥒 Pickleball Tournament- 16 total teams of 2 players each can enter&nbsp;- Players receive a single batch Picklepalooza 2026 shirt, a plus one free entry ticket, and a drink ticket- First, second, and third place prizes sourced from local business partners Proceeds will benefit WNC Food Coalition&rsquo;s Fresh Food campaign: a seasonal fundraiser to help us stock refrigerated, free food pantries in partnership with community-based organizations across 19 WNC counties with local produce and locally raised meat, dairy, and eggs.&nbsp; Together, we can strengthen our WNC local food system in THREE ways: 1. &nbsp;Hungry neighbors are fed fresh, nutrient-dense foods, creating better health. 2. Our local dollars stay in local businesses - food hubs and small farms - instead of leaking out to national and global conglomerates; creating a more resilient, robust local food economy. 3. The&nbsp;global food chain is disrupted, resulting in shorter distances for food transportation, easing the climate impact of our diet. Party, play, pickle, and be part of building a better future for local food in WNC.

Picklepalooza 2026

The Hubbub&nbsp;is WNC Food Coalition&#39;s inaugural benefit in support of small farms and the food hubs who buy, sell, and stock fresh, local, charitable food across Western North Carolina. Together, we can ease hunger today AND alleviate future hunger by growing a strong and resilient local food system.&nbsp;Join us in revolutionizing a local food economy that works for everyone. Your support benefits the trusted Food Hubs feeding our WNC community: TRACTOR Food &amp; Farms, Smoky Mountain Harvest Hub, Foothills Food Hub, WNC From the Ground Up, Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, and Equal Plates Project. The Main Event: 7:00-9:00 PM Live Music:&nbsp;from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House, Free Planet Radio featuring River Guerguerian and Chris Rosser, will be expertly weaving the improvisatory element of jazz, and the subtleties and harmonic vocabulary of Western classical music, with Middle Eastern, Indian and North African melodic and rhythmic structures.&nbsp; Delicious Food:&nbsp;WNC Food Hub Collaborative partner Equal Plates Project will design grazing tables for our guests in collaboration with several local food hubs and their partnered farms. Arrive ready to sample and delight in an abundance of tasty appetizers as we introduce you to local farms and the critical buyers who hold together our local food economy. Live Auction:&nbsp;Finally, we have collected items and experiences from across the region for a wildly fun live auction hosted by Brunk Auctioneers. After enjoying two free drinks and a cash bar featuring Highland Brewing beers, liquor, and zesty NA refreshments, raise your paddle to win the night for local food! After Party: 9:00-11:00 PM After Party tickets are offered on a sliding scale and will feature a cash bar, a chance to enter our WNC Food For All Basket Raffle, and a beckoning to the dance floor as DJ Lil Meow Meow takes the stage! Incorporating elements of house, hip hop, electro, disco, and beyond, she is known for playing infectious, spirited dance cuts with heart.&nbsp;

The Hubbub

Help us share the abundance of summer harvests in free food pantries to ease hunger in our neighborhoods. Donate or raise funds with friends to help us stock free fridges, snack bags, and neighborhood-led pantries with fresh, local food. Join us in growing a community-led food system where everyone can put fresh food on the table. With your support, WNC Food Coalition will be able to: 1. Purchase more local food to distribute for free to families experiencing food insecurity and hunger. 2. Support local food hubs who in turn provide consistent market options for more local farms, protecting WNC jobs and businesses. 3. Reduce the climate impact of our diets: when our food doesn&#39;t have to travel as far, we save our resources for a healthier planet. 🥕Healthier planet, healthier communities, healthier bodies.🥕

Help us share the abundance of summer harvests in free food pantries to ease hunger in our neighborhoods. Donate or raise funds with friends to help us stock free fridges, snack bags, and neighborhood-led pantries with fresh, local food.Join us in growing a community-led food system where everyone can put fresh food on the table.With your support, WNC Food Coalition will be able to:1. Purchase more local food to distribute for free to families experiencing food insecurity and hunger.2. Support local food hubs who in turn provide consistent market options for more local farms, protecting WNC jobs and businesses.3. Reduce the climate impact of our diets: when our food doesn't have to travel as far, we save our resources for a healthier planet.🥕Healthier planet, healthier communities, healthier bodies.🥕

Fresh Food

Build a strong local food system in Western North Carolina. 🥕Every donation propels practical solutions&mdash;from &quot;watering&quot; food deserts with free, local food access to creating efficient, robust collaboration across local food &amp; health networks. 🌱&nbsp;

Build a strong local food system in Western North Carolina. 🥕Every donation propels practical solutions—from "watering" food deserts with free, local food access to creating efficient, robust collaboration across local food & health networks. 🌱

Donate

Rep a stronger local food system. 🥕&nbsp; Every&nbsp;purchase helps fill real gaps from neighbors filling empty pantries to food hubs delivering local farm produce, meat, dairy, and eggs into food deserts. Thanks for helping us make WNC a place where everyone can eat&nbsp;good, local food. 🌱

Rep a stronger local food system. 🥕 Every purchase helps fill real gaps from neighbors filling empty pantries to food hubs delivering local farm produce, meat, dairy, and eggs into food deserts. Thanks for helping us make WNC a place where everyone can eat good, local food. 🌱

WNC Food Coalition

WNC Food Coalition

Past events

Past events

Picklepalooza 2026

The Hubbub

More ways to support us

Fresh Food

$8,460 of $20,000 goal

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Donate today

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