Pop-Up Picnics nourish community connection
Collaborative projects examines the role of food in community change.
Inspired by spontaneous community meals organized in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona in 2022 and grassroots food action like Food Not Bombs, Pop-Up Picnics served over 1000 free meals at surprise locations across Sydney between the spring and fall of 2025.
The project was a collaboration between the Island Food Network, Cape Breton Youth Project, New Dawn Meals on Wheels and Cafe Marie, and Selkie’s Neighbourhood Diner with support from Feed Nova Scotia’s Innovation Lab. The key principle of the project was food as a community resource (rather than commodity or charity) and aimed to understand the role of food in community change and how inclusive, accessibility, community-led food sharing can meet basic food needs and support that change.
Like the ‘stone soup’ philosophy, in which everyone contributes what they can, this project is about pooling offerings as a neighbourhood and businesses, organizations and community members were invited to offer what they could to the picnics — ingredients, traditional recipes, takeout containers, promotion support, places to sit.
The group hosted 14 Pop-Up Picnics including a barbecue at Eleanor’s Court, baked beans at the Port of Sydney, seasonal strawberry shortcake at Eltuek Arts Centre, and seafood chowder at McConnell Library. These healthy, comforting, and culturally inclusive meals were prepared by Cory Blundon, Community Chef and Co-Owner of Selkie’s Neighbourhood Diner and the Mermaid food truck. Youth from Cape Breton Youth Project took on the serving and hosting role and two youth in particular became reliable,
committed, and joyful leaders of the Pop-Up Picnics.
“Seeing these two take the reins…they both have tons of intuition – inherent food serving skills, passion for food, and were excited to try new things and share it with other people,” said Brenna Phillips, Manager of Cafe Marie.
“Being involved in this project had me helping and supporting in the community I’ve been in my whole life,” said one of the youth participants.
Cape Breton Youth Project does not have food as a core mandate, but drastic increases in food insecurity has pushed them into food access supports. Involving youth in Pop-Ups as leaders and supporters, not just recipients of care, allowed them to embrace their agency and community value.
The group learned that people experience hunger and food insecurity for many reasons and that a friendly no-strings-attached approach helped people feel comfortable with the unusual offer of free food. A vegan menu and cost-saving measures like wholesale purchasing allowed the group to stretch the budget and provide 1370 meals at a cost of $0.59 to $14.03 per meal.
Over the course of the project, the group had several inquiries from other communities interested in offering their own version of Pop-Up Picnics: Eskasoni, Bay St. Lawrence, Glace Bay and St. Peters. Bay St. Lawrence even gave it a try, offering a free blueberry tea using blueberries grown at their community centre.
