Slide Ranch Celebrates Grand Opening of Farm-to-Table Teaching Center

/ Slide Ranch/

Grand Opening of Farm-to-Table Teaching Center
Sunday, September 24, 12:30pm to 4:00pm
Featuring farm-to-table meal and live music concert by legendary jazz pianist David Benoit

TICKETS: 

$175 general admission tickets – includes gourmet lunch and two drink tickets. Seating is first come, first serve. Bring a picnic blanket or low-profile chairs.
$350 VIP tickets - includes gourmet lunch, wine and beer plus reserved seating and a Slide Ranch picnic basket with a blanket, sparkling wine, sunscreen and more.
$50 per child (age 2-12) - includes gourmet lunch and drinks.
Children under 2 are free.

Tickets available at slideranch.org/tickets or by calling (415) 381-6155

Event Features Farm-to-Table Food, Fine Wine and Craft Beer plus Live Music Concert By Legendary Jazz Pianist David Benoit & Band; Psychedelic, Roots-Rock Band Moonalice; and Grammy Winning Surprise Special Guest

West Marin’s beloved outdoor educational farm, Slide Ranch, is pleased to announce a Grand Opening Celebration of its new Farm-to-Table Teaching Center (FTTC) and live music concert with legendary jazz pianist-composer and five-time Grammy nominee David Benoit & Band, psychedelic roots-rock band Moonalice, and Grammy winning surprise special guest Sunday, September 24. The state-of-the-art children’s eco-learning center and kitchen is the first of its kind of the Bay Area, and significantly enhances and expands Slide Ranch’s unrivaled, nationally renowned environmental education and lifestyle programming. In addition to live entertainment, a delectable meal, and stupendous views, guests have the opportunity to tour the new facility, the first new building at Slide Ranch in nearly 50 years. The Center is groundbreaking and gorgeous, featuring a commercial teaching kitchen, deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean, living roof, and fully accessible design. 

Nestled amidst 134 stunning acres on the North Bay coast, the afternoon event features an open-air concert with David Benoit & Band, Moonalice, plus a Grammy winning surprise guest performer and hands on activities like a tie-dye station. In keeping with Slide Ranch’s dedication to the farm-to-table experience, guests will enjoy delicious greens plucked crisp from the organic garden, and a gourmet farm-to-table lunch provided by Black Bark, State Bird Provisions, A16 and Three Twins Ice Cream. These fine food purveyors are part of the Slide Ranch Chefs Collective, a collaboration between Slide Ranch and top Bay Area chefs. Guests will also sip wine curated by Master Sommelier Laura Maniec and craft beer from Fort Point Beer Company. 

For three decades, the five-time GRAMMY®-nominated pianist/composer/ arranger David Benoit has reigned supreme as one the founding fathers of contemporary jazz. His 1985 cover of Vince Guaraldi's "Linus and Lucy," enjoyed notable radio airplay and helped to launch the smooth jazz genre. Benoit received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Smooth Jazz Awards and has worked with an impressive who’s who of musicians. Slide Ranch kids and their parents will relish in witnessing a true jazz legend perform amongst the trees and stunning scenery while Moonalice, fronted by iconic VC Roger McNamee, will help to recapture the jam band free spirit of the early days of Slide Ranch when members of the Grateful Dead and their families would come to spend time connecting with nature and a healthy environment.

“In true Slide Ranch style, we look forward to a down-home celebration with a gourmet twist,” said Executive Director Maika Llorens Gulati. “We are profoundly proud of our new teaching center, which allows us to cast a broader net into the community and to provide even more educational opportunities and scholarships.”

Slide Ranch serves 10,000 visitors each year, many from inner cities, and provides scholarships to 70 percent of participants.  For many, the varied programs have become entrenched traditions, including school and community field trips and other educational series, family programs, summer camps, teacher-in-residence classes, and online curriculum. In addition to these educational opportunities, Slide Ranch has become a unique and highly sought-after location for weddings, corporate retreats, and team-building getaways. 

The new Children’s Eco-Learning Center and Kitchen was designed by noted architect Mark Cavagnero, who also created the SF Jazz Center and Wilsey Opera Center. The living roof, which extends the bucolic grounds skyward, was designed by landscape architect Paul Kephart, whose Cal Academy living roof was among the first in the nation. 

“We have been planting kids in nature since 1970,” said Board Chair Suzette Clarke. “This Center has been a dream for many of those years, and we are elated with the result. We are grateful to our generous donors for help making this a reality, and we welcome friends old and new to join us for this exciting occasion.” 

About Slide Ranch

Slide Ranch connects children and adults to nature.  The farm-to-table leader cultivates healthy bodies and minds and fosters future generations of environmental stewardship. By farming, cooking, caring for animals, and exploring wilderness and the coast, participants of all ages learn to see the connection between their own health, a healthy food system, and a healthy environment.

Slide Ranch is located on the Marin coast, on land that has a rich history in connecting people to food. The Miwok once fished and foraged for food at this site, and in the late 19th century Portuguese dairy farmers purchased the land and produced milk and butter for residents of San Francisco. In 1969, 134 acres of this fertile coastline were rescued from commercial development and purchased by the Nature Conservancy. The Slide Ranch nonprofit organization was established in 1970, becoming one of the first Park Partners in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. 

About the Children’s Eco-Learning Center and Kitchen 

The first new building at Slide Ranch since 1970, the new features:

  • Commercial farm-to-table teaching kitchen for education programs (also available for private rental)
  • Large exterior deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean
  • Large exterior deck overlooking the teaching garden and outdoor kitchen
  • Dedicated farm-to-table classroom space
  • Fully ADA compliance
  • Interior furnishings donated by Restoration Hardware
  • Fixtures and tabletop items donated by Williams Sonoma
  • Building designed by architect Mark Cavagnero (SF Jazz, new Wilsey Opera Center)
  • Living roof designed by landscape architect Paul Kephart (Cal Academy living roof)
  • Heath Ceramics wall tile
  • Milled Redwood siding reclaimed from the community of Muir Beach’s outdated water tank