Book art meets cuisine in Edible Book Festival

Photo courtesy of Sarah Christensen

“Monet: A Visit to Giverny” by Evelyne Tardya won the special award for healthiest creation in last year’s Edible Book Festival.

The 13th annual Edible Book Festival, an event that combines book art and cuisine, will take place at Lincoln Square Mall Saturday.

All edible entries are connected to book content or shapes, according to a University press release.

“Locally, the University Library thought it would be a fun way to engage the community, and we’ve had a great response,” Sarah Christensen, the visual resources and outreach specialist of the University Library, said in an email.

Money brought in through the festival will support the Eastern Illinois Foodbank, she said.

Food insecurity is a big issue in our community, and every dollar donated to the food bank provides someone in need with $10 worth of food,” Christensen said.

Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!

  • Catch the latest on University of Illinois news, sports, and more. Delivered every weekday.
  • Stay up to date on all things Illini sports. Delivered every Monday.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Thank you for subscribing!

Christensen said there are about 25 entries each year, and she hopes more people will join this year.

Entries are available for viewing starting at 11:30 a.m., followed by an award ceremony 30 minutes later. The prize awarded will be for the best culinary creations chosen by four judges.

Every year, the judges have fun making up new categories on the spot (such as “healthiest” or “best use of cupcakes”), so anyone can be a winner,” Christensen said.

[email protected]