May Day Community Block Party

Photography by Chelsea Whitney Art

On May 1st, several Southern Oregon businesses came together for a block party to provide a space to gather as a community after a rough spell due to the pandemic and fires. The May Day Block Party was hosted on Main St in Phoenix, where the scent of food trucks mingled with artisan goods such as local cheeses, locally farmed flowers, and even fresh-baked pastries.

Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art a cheese seller smiles from behind her mask as she holds up two blocks of cheese to the camera
Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art

April’s Change for Good organization, Pollinator Project Rogue Valley, provided information on their latest efforts to increase access to pollinator plants in the area.

Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art a representative from Pollinator Project Rogue Valley stands in a flower print jacket in front of an informational table
Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art

Julie O’Dwyer, Board Vice-President and AFC Gives Committee Co-Chair represented The Ashland Food Co-op at the community-centric event.

Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art Julie O'Dwyer, Ashland Food Co-op (AFC) Board Vice President, smiles from behind a teal mask with an AFC sticker and AFC branded hat
Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art

The event generated activity for small businesses and provided the opportunity for them to connect with folks in attendance.

Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art a man in a backwards orange cap looks on from the counter of his red food truck
Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art

One group in attendance was a new initiative for the recovery of Almeda Fire victims: Zone Captains. Find more information about their ongoing efforts at ZoneCaptains.org

Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art a woman stands grinning and waving to someone in the distance. She has star shaped stickers on her bare arms and legs and is holding a stack of Zone Captain flyers.
Photo Credit: Chelsea Whitney Art

Photography by Chelsea Whitney Art

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Meet the 1st Street Beet


Welcome to the newly redesigned and reimagined newsletter from the Ashland Food Co-op: 1st Street Beet.
Think of this publication as a resource to know what’s going on in every level of the community: at the co-op, around town, in the region, and on Earth!