Edible Schoolyard New Orleans has the garden party of all garden parties when it hosts its annual Edible Evening. Guests can mingle in a school’s garden where students learn about organic gardening, nutritious food and the connection between themselves and the land.
This year’s party on March 21 was at Samuel J. Green Charter School, which has been part of the program since 2006 and was the first replication of the original Edible Schoolyard program conceived and created by Alice Waters in Berkeley, Ca. In addition to the Green school, other FirstLine Schools in New Orleans that are part of the program include Arthur Ashe Charter School, Langston Hughes Academy and Phillis Wheatley Community School.
Strolls through the garden — that included a lively Second Line by One Shot Brass Band — were part of the agenda, as were the 20 restaurants and bars such as Mister Mao, Paladar 511, 12 Mile Limit, Addis NOLA, Nolavore and Mawi Tortillas, which served delicious cocktails and food — some chefs even used herbs from the garden.
Students had a Market table to sell goods they made, such as salsa, painted birdhouses, artwork, preserved lemons, clay magnets, among other items.
“This was my seventh time attending an Edible Evening, and I was honored to participate as event co-chair in 2024,” said Charles West, who was joined by Malana Joseph Mitchell in co-chair duties.
“We were thrilled to welcome back many familiar restaurants and supporters this year, and even more excited that the event raised nearly 20% of Edible Schoolyard’s operating budget for the year,” West added.
Fun Fact: When An Edible Evening was first conceived, the main goal was to make the event “fun and delicious,” curating a garden casual vibe where guests could partake in local food and beverages and experience Edible Schoolyard garden and kitchen-based activities. This year, one guest even commented, “An Edible Evening is my favorite New Orleans festival!”
