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Downtown Langley festival serves up ‘delicious’ fun

Come hungry to Saturday’s Fork & Finger food event in the City core.
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Sean Bone, owner and chef at Osso Lunchroom, is offering cooking demonstrations at this year’s Fork & Finger food festival in downtown Langley City on Saturday, Aug. 26, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Langley Advance files)

Calling all foodies…

Last weekend was all about art and artisans in Langley City. This weekend is all about food.

The Downtown Langley Business Association is hosting its fifth annual Fork & Finger event this Saturday, Aug. 26, with at least 1,000 foodies expected to turn out between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The event, which organizer Laura Warren of Rare Affairs says continues to grow, will feature free cooking demonstrations and samplings from Osso Lunchroom owner and chef Sean Bone.

There will also be $5 samplings available at 13 participating downtown restaurants, with prizes offered to those who grab a Fork & Finger passport and collect at least three stamps.

“The Fork & Finger foodie event welcomes people to Downtown Langley to see all the amazing restaurants the area has to offer. This is an amazing opportunity to discover a new restaurant, fall in love with a new dish or finally try a restaurant you’ve been wanting to check out,” she said.

There are also numerous food-based giveaways throughout the day, enticing people to check in and become an official part of the festivities, Warren explained.

“We give away over $1,000 worth of free sampler coupons at the info booth in McBurney Plaza. So your first passport sampler purchase can be on the house,” she said.

“These are given out on a first-come, first-served basis and only while supplies last.”

They haven’t advertised those in past, leaving it as a surprise for attendees.

“However, word was spreading, and last year we had people arrive early to get in line for their sampler coupon,” she noted.

Giveaways don’t end there. For those who grab a passport and collect a minimum of three stamps from eligible eateries that day, there are also some big prizes up for grabs.

“We are giving away $1,000 in Downtown Dollars during the event,” Warren explained.

It starts with $100 being given out hourly at 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30 p.m., followed by a first- and second-place grand prizes awarded at 4 p.m. The first prize is $400 in Downtown Dollars, while second prize is $200.

“We’ve heard from patrons constantly telling us that they’ve found their new favourite restaurant while visiting Fork & Finger.”

The day will also feature live entertainment throughout the day, specifically the musical stylings of Murrayville singer-songwriter Ari Neufeld.

It’s lots of “delicious” fun, Warren said, encouraging people to arrive early and pick up their passport in McBurney Plaza.

“The main purpose [of Fork & Finger] is to invite people to downtown Langley, to visit the amazing restaurants in the City core,” said Warren.

She’s been helping organize Fork & Finger for the past four years, but been a regular on the downtown restaurant scene for many more years.

“Downtown [Langley] is my favourite place to go. I love supporting some of the locally owned businesses, and the food is top notch,” she added.

There are many food lovers who attend Fork & Finger every year. But there is also a growing number coming from throughout the Lower Mainland to give Langley a taste test.

“It’s definitely an event you want to come hungry to,” Warren said.

Event highlights:

Free cooking demonstrations in McBurney Plaza featuring chef Sean Bone, a private chef and executive chef/owner of Osso Lunchroom

Demonstrations include:

• Salad 101, Vinaigrettes & Dressings: Understanding the balance between acidic and sweet flavours. Learning how to pair dressings to your salads.

• Stuffed Pasta: A look into the endless possibilities of texture, taste, technique and colour.

• Gelatos & Ices: Techniques to create wonderful, savory or sweet, pre- or post-dinner frozen offerings.

• There will also be fruit carving demonstrations in the plaza, once again offered by Ban Chok Dee Thai Cuisine.

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Murrayville singer and songwriter Ari Neufeld will be performing at the Fork & Finger food festival in downtown Langley on Saturday. (Special to the Langley Advance)
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Roxanne Hooper

About the Author: Roxanne Hooper

I began in the news industry at age 15, but honestly, I knew I wanted to be a community journalist even before that.
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