{"id":30095,"date":"2026-10-07T12:30:57","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T16:30:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/?p=30095"},"modified":"2026-10-07T12:30:57","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T16:30:57","slug":"2026-governors-buy-local-cookout-returns-to-government-house-for-a-delicious-evening-of-local-foods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/press-release\/2026\/10\/07\/2026-governors-buy-local-cookout-returns-to-government-house-for-a-delicious-evening-of-local-foods\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Governor\u2019s Buy Local Cookout Returns to Government House for a Delicious Evening of Local Foods"},"content":{"rendered":"

ANNAPOLIS, MD (October 07, 2026)<\/b> \u2013 The <\/span>Governor\u2019s Annual Buy Local Cookout<\/span><\/a> returned to Government House on October 5, 2026, featuring the following local sources: 24 producers, 11 restaurants, five creameries, three distilleries, two wineries and one beer vendor. Typically celebrated during <\/span>Buy Local Week<\/span><\/a>, this year\u2019s celebration was postponed due to hazardous air quality from the Canadian wildfires back in July.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Governor\u2019s Buy Local Cookout is a celebration for Maryland\u2019s hard-working agricultural community and a reminder to support local communities and businesses by buying and eating local. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s <\/span>2022 Census of Agriculture<\/span><\/a>, Maryland has 12,550 farms on just under two million acres of land. Salisbury University\u2019s Business Economic and Community Outreach Network (BEACON) and the Maryland Agricultural and Resource-Based Industries Development Corporation (MARBIDCO) <\/span>found in 2023<\/span><\/a>, that the State\u2019s seafood sector contributed over $317.4 million to Maryland\u2019s economy and supported over 3,000 jobs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaryland\u2019s farmers, watermen and restaurateurs are the heart of our state\u2019s agricultural community, and the success of this year\u2019s Buy Local Cookout is a testament to the incredible products they grow, harvest and create each day,\u201d said <\/span>Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks<\/b>. \u201cWhen Marylanders choose local, they support their neighbors and communities, create opportunities for local businesses and put fresh, nutritious foods on their table. Each year, this event shows us what is possible when we connect our talented producers with chefs and consumers to celebrate the very best of our State\u2019s agriculture.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This year\u2019s Cookout featured the <\/span>following teams of restaurants and producers<\/span><\/a> cooking up these delicious dishes:<\/span><\/p>\n