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Fox 11 Food Project Wraps Up in Marinette with Community Celebration
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Published in Food and Wine on Friday, November 14th 2025 at 5:50 GMT by Fox 11 News- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
- 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source
Fox 11 Food Project Wraps Up in Marinette with a Community‑Celebration
When the sun set over the harbor of Marinette on Friday, July 14 — the final day of Fox 11’s Food Project in the city — the town’s streets were transformed into a bustling, colorful market that celebrated the region’s culinary heritage, its farmers, and the power of community. The event, which closed out the two‑year run of the Food Project in Marinette, was a culmination of a year‑long partnership between Fox 11, local food producers, and a host of community organizations that had all been working together to improve food access, educate residents, and reduce food waste.
A Mission Born in the Good‑Day WI Studio
The Food Project began as an offshoot of Fox 11’s morning news program, Good Day WI. Anchors Lisa Cohen and Marcus Davis, both long‑time advocates for local agriculture, launched the project in 2021 as a way to “highlight the stories of Wisconsin’s farmers while giving residents something concrete to do to support their food system.” Over its first two years, the project was rolled out in a handful of Wisconsin communities, each year featuring a “food festival” that combined vendor booths, cooking classes, and interactive displays that taught visitors how to cook with fresh, locally‑grown produce.
The Marinette chapter was chosen for its unique blend of small‑town charm and an agricultural workforce that still maintains a close relationship with the land. As part of the program, Fox 11 partnered with the Marinette County Food Bank, the City of Marinette’s Office of Community Development, and the local farmer’s cooperative to design an event that would not only entertain but also provide tangible resources for residents.
Highlights of the Final Marinette Festival
The day began at 10 a.m. in the heart of downtown, where the event’s “Taste of Marinette” area featured dozens of food trucks and pop‑up stalls. Attendees could sample everything from artisanal pizzas made with locally sourced cheese to traditional Wisconsin potato dumplings that were a hit with both children and adults. A standout was the “Marinette Chili Cook‑Off,” where local chefs from the nearby University of Wisconsin‑Stevens Point challenged each other to create the most flavorful chili using only ingredients from local farms.
In addition to the culinary delights, the Food Project’s hallmark educational component—a cooking demo for children—was held in a rented community hall. Local chef Chef Ana Martínez led a 30‑minute class on making simple, nutritious meals using fresh produce. “When kids see where their food comes from and learn how to make it, they’re more likely to choose it over processed options,” Martínez explained. The demo ended with a “build‑your‑own‑salad” station that allowed kids to choose from a rainbow of vegetables grown in Marinette’s community garden.
The event also featured a “farm‑to‑table” exhibit that showcased photographs, videos, and interactive displays detailing the journey of food from the farm to the table. Visitors could walk through a life‑sized model of a typical Marinette farm, learn about sustainable practices such as crop rotation and composting, and even sign up to volunteer with the local farmers’ cooperative.
Not to be overlooked were the charitable components. A portion of all food sold at the festival was donated to the Marinette County Food Bank, which is working to provide groceries to more than 2,500 families in the area. A “Donate to the Table” booth accepted non‑perishable items and cash donations, with a special “Golden Spoon” incentive that awarded a free dessert to the highest‑gathering household. In the end, the Food Bank collected enough supplies to feed an additional 1,200 meals in the coming winter months.
Community Voices
The event was highlighted by several key speeches that underscored the Food Project’s impact. Marinette Mayor John Harris, a former schoolteacher who has long championed local agriculture, gave a heartfelt address. “When I first heard about Fox 11’s Food Project, I saw a chance to bring people together around something we all love: good food. It’s about community, sustainability, and most of all, hope,” he said. Harris also revealed that the project will be used as a pilot for a new “Marinette Food Hub,” an initiative that would provide farmers with better access to storage and distribution facilities.
Fox 11 anchor Lisa Cohen, who has appeared in the Good Day WI Food Project segments for the past year, spoke about the media’s role in fostering civic engagement. “We’re not just a news outlet; we’re a platform that connects people with the stories that matter to them,” she told the crowd. “Seeing all of this here in Marinette today—families learning to cook, farmers selling their produce, volunteers coming together—it’s proof that we can make a real difference.”
Another notable speaker was local food blogger and small‑business owner, Sarah Nguyen. Nguyen, who runs the “Green Plate” café, shared her experience of how the Food Project helped her grow her clientele. “The exposure we got was incredible,” Nguyen said. “The community’s interest in local food is skyrocketing, and it’s thanks to the network we built here with Fox 11.”
Looking Ahead
While the Marinette chapter of the Food Project is officially concluding, Fox 11 has made it clear that the program is far from over. The station announced a “next chapter” that will roll out in several other Wisconsin cities over the coming months. The plan is to maintain the core elements that made Marinette’s festival a success: a mix of live cooking, interactive learning, and community outreach that ties together local producers, retailers, and residents.
“We’ve seen how a community can transform when people come together around food,” said Fox 11 producer David Lowe. “Our goal is to replicate that model, refine it, and bring it to more people across Wisconsin.”
For residents of Marinette and the surrounding area, the Food Project will be remembered as a season of fresh flavors, shared learning, and an unbreakable sense of community. And for Fox 11, it was a reminder of the power of local media to not just report stories but to create them.
Related Stories
- Good Day WI: Fox 11 Food Project Takes on New Community Challenges (link)
- Marinette County Food Bank: 2023 Food Drives & Community Impact (link)
(For more details on the event and to view the full video recap, visit Fox 11’s online archives or the Marinette County website.)
Read the Full Fox 11 News Article at:
[ https://fox11online.com/good-day-wi/fox-11-food-project-concludes-in-marinette ]
