Rhea Miller, director of the trust, says the purpose of the event is celebration and promotion: Celebration of the wide array of food grown and produced on Lopez, and promotion of agriculture.

Beyond the eatables and community spirit, one of the highlights of the event is the speaker. Last year the bar was set high when celebrated agriculturalist and farmer Michael Ableman spoke. This year that standard will be met with the presence of Jon Steinman.

Steinman hosts the radio show Deconstructing Dinner, produced and recorded in the studios of Kootenay Co-op Radio in Nelson, British Columbia.

A resident of Nelson, Steinman was exposed to the world of food while studying at the University of Guelph in Ontario. Steinman believes food deserves far more attention than it currently receives and that we owe it to this planet and each other to fully understand the implications of our food choices.

Deconstructing Dinner assists listeners in making more educated choices when purchasing food either for the kitchen or at restaurants.  Currently broadcast on 39 radio stations across Canada, including Lopez’s KLOI, Deconstructing Dinner also appears on stations around the world. The show is not restricted to only current affairs, but probes into the processes and actions to which we have all become so accustomed throughout our daily routine, deconstructing them to achieve a more discriminating awareness.

The Harvest Dinner dinner is free, and open to the public. People are asked to bring along a table setting, and a favorite dish made from local food. Prizes are given for Best Presentation and Best Use of Local Foods, in the form of gift certificates from local businesses, such as Blossom Grocery, the Healing Arts Studios and more.