Everyone’s favorite event in the Northland – Flavor of the North – is back in-person for 2022, and I cannot wait! This amazing food and beverage showcase event is top in my book for several reasons.
The first is that it benefits a critically needed program in our region – United Way of Northeastern Minnesota’s (UWNEMN) Buddy Backpacks. This program provides weekend meal kits filled with nonperishable and child-friendly items to 1,000 food-insecure children in UWNEMN’s service area during the school year. Receiving these meal kits as they head home on Friday or for holiday breaks makes enrolled children feel relieved and cared for, and the food nourishes and sustains them, allowing them to return to school on Mondays without growling tummies, ready to learn, thrive, and grow.
Funding is raised throughout the year by UWNEMN to continue to provide this much-needed program to children who need it most. I have been volunteering to pack Buddy Backpacks meal kits since the inception of the program, and it is one of the most rewarding experiences. I love to engage friends and coworkers in the program, and I also raise funds for it by supporting events like Flavor of the North.
The second reason I love Flavor of the North is, of course, THE FOOD! On April 21, 2022, area restaurants and food and beverage businesses will come together at the Range Recreation and Civic Center in Eveleth and present entries into the event's four categories: Appetizer, Entree, Dessert, and Beverage. While at the event, participants visit all of the stations, sampling wonderful and inventive options, and then vote for their favorites in each category. The "best of the best" awards are announced at the end of the evening. Some of the best food I have had on the Iron Range has been at Flavor of the North! Sampling food from the participating restaurants at Flavor of the North has also led me to visit these restaurants to try out their full menus. The event is a great way for food businesses to advertise all they have to offer!
Flavor of the North is also more than just food! The event has the absolute best silent and live auction, as well as amazing mystery raffle packages and bucket raffles. Plus, of course, all the money raised from each component of the event goes directly to support Buddy Backpacks!
Tickets are $50 (100% tax-deductible), go on sale to the public on March 1st, and are available at www.unitedwaynemn.org/fon. After two years of being unable to hold the event in person, we are pulling out all the stops to ensure that this year’s Flavor of the North will be the best one yet. Trust me, you will not want to miss it! Have I mentioned that I can’t wait for Flavor of the North?
If you are a food business and want to get involved, contact Elizabeth ASAP at elizabeth@unitedwaynemn.org.