The Anthropology Club and Non-Profit Leadership Student Association are hosting the annual Food Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24, to raise awareness of the benefits of growing and eating local, sustainable food.

It will be held in the mall area of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

A fall-festival theme with students and local food-related organizations providing displays, information, and activities to promote awareness are part of the day’s activities.

Some booths will include such fun and educational activities as conventional versus organic taste testing, a vegetable petting zoo, a “what’s in your drink?” display, healthy and affordable foods for college students, and prehistoric foodways of Arkansas.

In addition, a pumpkin-carving contest will be held to help with improvements to UALR’s campus garden and to encourage more students to get their hands dirty learning to grow healthy produce.

A grant was provided to start the on-campus garden, which continues to thrive, following the first Food Day event in 2011.

For more information about Food Day at UALR, email dnholdcraft@ualr.edu. Food Day is a national movement; more information is at foodday.org.