Shopping at the Farmers Market is a quintessential and enjoyable Madison experience. You can stroll around the picturesque Capitol Square with a cup of coffee and a loaf of spicy cheese bread, picking up whatever local produce or plant catches your eye — maybe even an ostrich burger. But buying local food is more than just a fun and relaxed Saturday morning activity — it’s important for our health, our economy and the environment.

If you’ve ever wondered exactly why buying local is such a big deal, here’s your chance to find out. This Saturday, Sept. 26, discover the importance of eating locally and sustainably at the 11th annual Food for Thought Festival, coordinated by REAP Food Group.

REAP, which stands for Research, Education, Action and Policy, works to build “a regional food system that is healthful, just and both environmentally and economically sustainable,” according to their official website. REAP connects producers, consumers, businesses and organizations in an effort to encourage people to buy locally and make food choices that are sustainable for the economy and environment. The Food for Thought Festival has aimed to accomplish this goal since its inception over a decade ago.

“We wanted a big networking event, something to put the focus on food and sustainability and bring eaters, producers and ‘food thinkers’ all together to learn, to eat and to celebrate local foods,” said Lynn Welch, one of the event’s coordinators. “We wanted to show the interconnectedness of all the elements, how what we eat connects to the environment, social justice, our physical health, our culture and our community.”

The festival, which is free and open to the public, will be held on Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Festivities include informational displays and samples of local food from 60 businesses and organizations in and around the Madison area so festivalgoers can find all the resources they need to eat locally and sustainably.

Those who are wondering what to do with the food they’ve already got can check out cooking demonstrations by guest chefs Joey Dunscombe from The Weary Traveler and John Gadau and Philip Hurley from Marigold Kitchen and Sardine.

The Food for Thought Festival also features live music, animals and, of course, plenty of food.

“There are many new things and firsts this year. The event expanded this year to cover two big downtown city blocks — a first — plus we added an Eat Local Food Court,” Welch said.

The Eat Local Food Court will serve up delightful menu options including house-made brats and lemonade from L’Etoile; chicken, pork, rice and beans from Caf? Costa Rica; fresh ice cream from Sassy Cow Creamery; and BLT’s from Mermaid Caf?. Other participating vendors include The Weary Traveler, Fresco, Ian’s Pizza, Crema Caf?, RP’s Pasta and Dylan St. Grill.

And Madison restaurants aren’t the only ones cooking local food at the festival.

“Joining them will be Family Farm Defenders with their Famous Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and BFBL (Buy Fresh Buy Local) Caf?, serving up dishes made with locally sourced ingredients by a variety of REAP’s Buy Fresh Buy Local program,” Welch added.

In true Wisconsin fashion, the Food for Thought Festival will also play host to a Cheese Court to showcase local artisan cheeses from several different vendors, including Fromagination.

And if you missed him last night, the Food for Thought Festival guest speaker just happens to be Michael Pollan, award-winning journalist and guru of the local food movement. In his novels, “In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto” and “The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals,” Pollan emphasizes the need for “real food” in our diets — that is, food that comes from animals, plants and fungi. But Pollan’s lecture will likely go beyond the perils of trans fats, as his novels also stress the importance of finding pleasure in what we eat.

If the prospect of eating and learning about local food isn’t enough to entice you, here’s another tasty treat: the Food for Thought Raffle will be giving away prizes from more than 60 businesses and organizations around Madison. This year’s grand prize is a year of free milk from Organic Valley, and festival attendees could also score prizes including gift baskets, T-shirts, books, gift certificates or a CSA share.

While the process of shopping for local food seems daunting, it can actually be worthwhile, especially for students on a budget.

“Eating fresh local foods is actually less expensive, particularly when you eat in-season and take advantage of the bounty of year-round farmers markets we have here in the Madison area,” Welch said.

So, when you’re out and about this Saturday, stop over to the Food for Thought Festival to get everything you need to know about eating locally and sustainably — and to grab a delicious, locally sourced lunch.

“We have a unique opportunity in Madison to not only eat local food but be at the center of a movement that is creating a more sustainable food system for our region,” Welch said. “The festival is a fun and festive event with opportunities for everyone to find out what it means to eat locally. Besides, where else can you taste maple syrup cotton candy?”

Chew on that, Madison.

For more information about the Food for Thought Festival, check out www.reapfoodgroup.org.