Du Quoin dinner brings farms and business together

The inaugural Farm-to-Table dinner sponsored by the Du Quoin Chamber of Commerce was, by all accounts, a rousing success.

The 150 tickets sold out, and visitors to the event Thursday evening seemed to be enjoying not only the food but the atmosphere provided at the main street event.

"We're putting out money where our mouth is," said St. Nicholas Brewery's Abby Ancell, one of the event coordinators. "We're bringing together farmers and business people."

The "farm-to-table" concept is trending, as pointed out by chamber member Samantha Daniel, another organizer of the event.

"We're bringing the farm to Main Street," she said.

The farm-to-table concept is a social movement that promotes serving locally-acquired meat and produce in local restaurants and school cafeterias.

According to a fact sheet provided by the Perry County Farm Bureau, Perry County has 560 farms, occupying nearly 200,000 acres with annual agriculture products netting just over $45 million.

Thursday's dinner was about more than just the food and business, though, said Jessica Holder, another organizer of the event.

"Tonight was also about bringing the community together," she said.

Ancell said that Thursday's success has sparked the organizers to look to the future. "We have another one in the works," she said with grin.

The city closed Main Street between Mulberry and Division streets Thursday afternoon and through the evening to allow the dinner to take place in the middle of the thoroughfare.