The Blackbelt Benefit Group and Grow Selma is giving people the opportunity to enjoy a feast of locally grown food.

For the second year, the group is having a Farm to Feast event featuring produce grown in and around Selma and Dallas County on Oct. 17.

“It’s really an amazing event. If I could choose one event to not have to work at, and to go to, this would be it,” said Clay Carmichael, a founding member of Blackbelt Benefit Group. “It’s pretty special.”

The day will start at Spencer Farm in Marion Junction with the Sunrise Series, which includes one choice of four different classes — a cob oven workshop, a tour of Spencer Farm, a permaculture class and a class focused around fruit trees.

Later on that night is the Seat at the Table, where attendees can enjoy a meal prepared by Shindigs Catering, a speaking engagement with Jason Powell of Petals from the Past and a musical performance by Alabama School of Fine Arts.

“We are really looking forward to the event. We hope it is as spectacular as last year’s was,” said Chip Spencer, owner of Spencer Farm. “This year we’re really excited to have the youth orchestra to perform after our day’s classes and the fabulous meal that will be put on by Shindigs Catering.”

The farm to feast event is a fundraiser for the Mill Village Community Garden and Food Park.

“We’ve got a great garden going,” Carmichael said. “We’ve got tons of peas … the okra is growing like crazy, we have cucumbers and pumpkins and watermelons.”

Carmichael said a benefit to having the event is that it shows people what all Selma has to offer in terms of locally grown food.

“That’s something that we press for with Grow Selma, getting people to buy local,” Carmichael said. “That’s probably one of the things that can benefit our community the most, is if people bought the food locally. When you’re buying your food locally, 100 percent of it goes back into your community because the food is grown right there.”

Carmichael and Spencer said they are looking forward to the day full of activities and seeing all of the people who attend.

“I’m super excited,” Carmichael laughed. “I’ll be really excited when it gets here and when it goes well and when I see everybody eating that good food and laughing and having a good time.”

Farm to Feast will be Oct. 17 at Spencer Farm. The morning classes will be from 8-11 a.m. and tickets are $60 per person. The night activities will begin at 4 p.m. and run through 8 p.m. and tickets are $120 per person.

Carmichael said there will be around 100 seats at the dinner, but that half have already been purchased. Tickets can be purchased from Rountree Outdoors, Carter Drug Company and online at blackbeltbenefitgroup.org.