The Taste of Unity, a local South Bend event hosted by Unity Gardens and several contributors where guests went to enjoy food, music and community, recently had their 11th annual celebration on Nov. 9, 2023. The Taste of Unity is just one of many events, as certainly more will arise.

The Taste of Unity began as a small lend-a-hand event where people gathered together and brought food in celebration of the harvest season’s end. This small gathering dedicated to celebrating a plethora of food soon grew into the event that it is today; a much larger communal event involving well known restaurants around the area such as Fiddler’s Hearth and the South Bend Chefs and Cooks Association. A multitude of other significant contributors helped with directing and setting up the event, including Coca-Cola, Everwise Credit Union, alongside the director, Sara Stewart. “Leading an event is always a bit stressful as you must prepare well in advance…it’s a celebration of local chefs and local food- honoring our wonderful food community,” said Stewart. “We honor the chefs, we all enjoy the food and each other. Even the staff fully participate in the event, trying all the foods and bidding in auction.” 

With a $50 entry fee, all the proceeds are donated to grow more food in Unity Garden’s public gardens all across the South Bend area. Anyone can pick produce from these gardens scattered around South Bend completely free of charge. “All of the proceeds are fully invested in feeding our community,” Stewart said. 

The annual Taste of Unity event that brings together the community for many recent years will continue to take place annually. With 11 years of experience behind them, the resulting effect on the surrounding community is highly positive. When asked about the impact that Stewart sees, she said, “people get increasingly excited about a unique event of this nature, and it helps to draw people into the magic of Unity Gardens.”

Want to know more information about Unity Gardens? visit theunitygardens.org, where you can find contact information, volunteering opportunities, and Unity Gardens classes. You can also view their public calendar which shows all upcoming events.