WYSIWYG (Wiz-ee-Wig)

BURLINGTON, VT: On August 23-24, 2014, WYSIWYG, a new, locally-produced festival will welcome thousands to dine together and experience Vermont’s rich local food culture. Overlooking Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks on the Burlington College lakeside campus, WYSIWYG promises a unique festival experience that unites food, drink, music and art.

Pronounced “wiz-ee-wig,” an acronym for “What You See Is What You Get,” WYSIWYG is more than a music festival. It is a from-the-ground-up exploration of food that celebrates Vermont’s rich food culture with music, art and education. The festival will feature pairings of Vermont farms and resident culinary expertise; top local chefs will invent unique menus featuring the freshest ingredients sourced from nearby partner farms. The main stage will welcome an eclectic mix of nationally touring artists and creatively-themed edutainment centers throughout the festival will feature presentations, demonstrations and workshops designed to arouse curiosities, pique interests and provide a deeper understanding of the Vermont food movement.

WYSIWYG will showcase chef/farm partnerships, including Hen of the Wood and Pete’s Greens, Misery Loves Company and Butterworks Farms, Barrio Bakery and Champlain Orchards, Bluebird Group and Tangletown Farm, Kismet Kitchen and Dog River Farm, and The Hindquarter and Half Pint Farm.

WYSIWYG will showcase the best and brightest from the VT craft brewery scene, including taps, demos, sampling and panels from 20+ all local VT craft breweries including Zero Gravity, Citizen Cider, Alchemist (Heady Topper), 14^th star and many more..

Musical acts include nationally touring acts Lee Fields and the Expressions, Patrick Watson, Shakey Graves, The Barr Brothers, Moon Hooch, Anais Mitchell and Jefferson Hamer, Kishi Bashi, The Lost Bayou Ramblers  as well as local favorites Brett Hughes and the Honkey Tonk Crowd, Abbie Morin, Big Bhangra Brass Band, and Barika.

Between songs and bites, festival goers can enjoy unique programs and demonstrations curated by WYSIWYG and presented by partners including Healthy Living, Gardeners Supply, Farrell Distributing, Burlington Intervale Food Hub, New England Culinary Institute, Burlington Students Foundation, ArtsRiot, and the Vermont Comedy Club. More music, menus and programming will be announced soon.

WYSIWYG is the brainchild of a unique trio of local entrepreneurs: Russ Bennett, (head of visual design for Bonnaroo and Outside Lands music festivals) Alex Lalli (Creative Director and Co-Owner of Signal Kitchen) and Lulu Kalman (chef and culinary event producer with a background at Danny Meyer's Union Square Events and Superfly Presents). The idea for a festival emerged when Bennett first visited Signal Kitchen, a local studio and music venue co-owned by Lalli. “I’d heard of stories of Russ Bennett and things he designs for Bonnaroo, so when he said that wanted to work together, I was all in,” said Lalli. The farm-food-music concept emerged from a conversation when Lalli learned that Bennett’s daughter Lila and her family own and operate Tangletown Farm in Glover, VT. About his vision for the festival, Bennett said, “We wanted more than just another music festival or food fair. We want to combine our talent with the incredible people powering the Vermont food movement and create a showcase where people can taste and share and learn – a place where we can laugh together and live the life we want.”

WYSIWYG promises something for everyone. It is a celebration for the farmer, the foodie, the food-conscious and the food-curious; for the music dabbler and devoted fan. Lineups, tickets and more information can be found at www.WYSIWYGfestival.com