MEDFORD, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Harry & David’s Country Village flagship retail store will celebrate its partnership with ACCESS at its tenth annual “Taste of Harry & David” Labor Day weekend. The event will offer: gourmet foods, award-winning wines, live music, the “Perfect Pairing: Chef Challenge” and the first ever “Chopped Chef Challenge” where local chefs battle to produce the best dish from the same ingredients. Price of admission is $20 per person – or $15 per person with a donation of 5 non-perishable canned or dry good items for ACCESS, a non-profit organization that helps those in need in Jackson County, Oregon.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Musical Performances
Frankie Hernandez
Featured on MTV’s hit show “The Real World,” TLC’s “LA Ink,” and most recently at Britt as the opening show for Ziggy Marley, Frankie Hernandez’s unique blend of soul, funk, Latin, and reggae will be showcased September 1st and 2nd from 3pm – 6pm both days.
Great Minds Unplugged
While new to the Taste of Harry & David festival, Great Minds Unplugged will kick off the event with a variety of music inspired by The Beatles to Billy Joel, Cake, Queen, Tom Petty and more. This new local group will be featured September 1st from 11am – 2:30pm and September 2nd from 11am- 2pm.
Events & Attractions:
“Chopped Chef Challenge”
September 1st & 2nd from 11am – 3pm both days, local chefs from Black Sheep, Macaroni’s, Bella Union, 4 Daughters, Havana Republic and other local restaurants battle to produce the best dish from the same set of ingredients. Those in attendance are invited to purchase a judging table and help pick the winner. Proceeds from the purchase of the table will go to the American Culinary Federation Scholarship Fund.
Wine Competition
Harry & David Wine competition featuring wineries from all across Southern Oregon. Three professional and wine industry judges will award gold, silver and bronze medals, along with “Best of Show” designations to wines in three categories: red, white and sweet. The winning wines will be available for consumers to taste all weekend long.
“Perfect Pairing: Chef Challenge”
The “Perfect Pairing: Chef’s Challenge” features local chefs preparing award-winning wines with Harry & David gourmet foods; creating an experience like no other. Attendees can taste the delicious delights that are prepared from these marquee chefs.
Additional Event Information:
About ACCESS
ACCESS is one of 20 regional members of the Oregon Food Bank that help deliver over 81 million pounds of food, statewide, through the distribution of over 1 million emergency food boxes last year. ACCESS has been providing emergency food and nutrition programs in Jackson County for more than 30 years. Last year, ACCESS distributed over 44,000 food boxes, each of which is a 5-day supply, in Jackson County through a network of 25 food pantries and over 20 agency programs that serve low-income individuals. In order to keep up with the need, ACCESS expects to provide over 45,000 food boxes to over 23,000 hungry individuals in Jackson County this year.
Harry & David Charitable Local Food Donations
Harry & David has donated over 30,000 pounds of peaches annually providing healthy, nutritious food to thousands of hungry individuals in Southern Oregon. Harry & David has also donated over 60,000 pounds of pears and gift baskets to the food bank annually.
Taste of Harry & David Donations
Over 15,700 cans of food have been donated, since its inception in 2007, through the Taste of Harry & David festival.
How many people are served by this program?
Over 35,000 people in Jackson, Josephine and Klamath counties are served by the efforts of Harry & David and ACCESS.
What is the need this year?
The need in Jackson County continues to grow. This year we will provide over 45,000 food boxes (each a 5 day supply) to over 23,000 hungry individuals.
Testimonial:
“A woman came into our food pantry with tears in her eyes. Her husband had been out of work for a long time and she had four young children to feed,” says Kathleen Greene, supply coordinator with a local food pantry. "When she saw all the fresh produce that we had available, her tears vanished and she smiled. She talked about all the healthy meals she could cook for her family with the produce. On her way out of the pantry, she turned to me and said that this had been the worst day of her whole life. 'But now I feel great,' she said."
About Harry & David
With close to an 80-year reputation for genuine farm-to-table freshness and unsurpassed artisanal quality, Harry & David is legendary for exclusive gifts such as the Fruit-of-the-Month Club® collection, featuring top-quality fruit, pampered on the tree, picked at its peak; Royal Riviera® Pears, prized for their lush juiciness, melting texture and exquisite flavor, many of which are grown in Harry & David’s Rogue Valley, Oregon pear orchards which are at the heart of the company’s success; Oregold® Peaches, the biggest, juiciest, sweetest-tasting peaches you're likely to taste; and Moose Munch® gourmet snacks, most of which are made exclusively in our own confectionery, in flavors for everyone - some with nuts, some sweet, and some savory. Gifts from Harry & David, and its brands Cushman's and Wolferman's, are designed for festive occasions, entertaining and self enjoyment throughout the year. Through its stores, catalogs and website, Harry & David offers an affordable "best-of-class" experience as part of everyday life. Harry & David is a dba of Harry and David. www.harryanddavid.com