Slow Food Nation is partnering with Whole Foods Market , the world’s leading natural and organic foods supermarket and America’s first certified organic retailer. Whole Foods Market is the lead sponsor of the Taste Pavilions — Slow Food Nation’s grand celebration of good, clean and fair food, featuring 15 individual pavilions showcasing the country’s best cheese, bread, wine, charcuterie, coffee, chocolate, ice cream, pickles and chutneys, honey and preserves, and much more. 1,600 discounted tickets for the Sunday Afternoon Taste Pavilion (Aug. 31, 5 to 9 p.m), are on sale now at all 23 Whole Foods Market stores in Northern California. Whole Foods Market is the only retailer to sell hard-copy tickets for $58, 10 percent off the retail price.

Walter Robb, co-president chief operating officer of Whole Foods Market, said, “We are proud to lend our support to Slow Food Nation. We share a common desire to unite America’s growing sustainable food movement and introduce a wide spectrum of people to food that is produced safely and grown in a sustainable manner. We hope to empower people to lead a slow food lifestyle by offering a diverse selection of community-grown produce and handcrafted foods in our stores.” Robb will be participating in a Food for Thought session at Changemakers Day on Friday, April 29.

More than one-quarter of local food producers whose products are featured at Slow Food Nation sell their products at Whole Foods Market stores in Northern California. This includes farmers and food artisans for locally grown, sustainably produced foods such as St. Benoit Yogurt (a French-style yogurt producer in Bodega, CA), Full Belly Farm (a 200-acre organic farm in Capay Valley, CA) and Massa Organics (a family farm growing organic brown rice in Chico, CA).

Whole Foods Market will be involved in many aspects of Slow Food Nation, including:

Volunteering dozens of Whole Foods Market Team Members to answer visitors’ questions about sustainable agriculture, organic products and prepared foods.

Donating thousands of compostable dining ware items, including utensils, cups, plates and napkins.

Hosting two Slow Dinners to benefit the Center for Food and Justice. Both dinners will be held at the Whole Foods Market store in Potrero Hill (450 Rhode Island and 17th Street). Tickets are available by calling (415) 552-1155.

Hosting two Taste Workshops at Fort Mason Center.

Supporting the Slow Food Nation Victory Garden with volunteers and catering at the Community Planting and Harvest Days.

If you live in Northern California, take advantage of the opportunity to buy your tickets soon and join us on Labor Day Weekend.

Image courtesy of Slow Food Nation