Hot Date: Sunday, June 30, when OkraPalooza Promises Peace Garden Funding, Free Okra to You

While you can definitely have too much summer zucchini and squash, you can never have too much okra.

So on Sunday, June 30, dress yourself in your favorite okra gathering garb and head down to The Lot, which will host Okra Palooza 2013, a fundraiser benefiting the Promise of Peace Community Garden. Chefs Graham Dodds (Central 214), Chad Houser (Café Momentum), and Janice Provost (Parigi) will be serving their best okra recipes. (My favorite recipe, though, is this one, so why isn’t Sharon Hage one of the competitors?)

Think you can do better? You can also enter to compete for the title of Okra Palooza Champion. Attendees will be able to sample okra dishes from each station and cast their vote. Guests will also enjoy live music from Grammy nominated Russ Hewitt and a raffle for a variety of prizes. Funds raised from the event will go to the Promise of Peace Community Garden in East Dallas.

Tickets for Okra Palooza are $30 per person; children 12 and under get in for free. Ticket price includes complete okra tasting, two brews, and a concert. To purchase tickets, visit www.eventbrite.com/event/6898039221/efbklie.

The Lot, 7530 East Grand Avenue, Dallas

Promise of Peace Community Garden

Promise of Peace Community Garden is a non-profit seeking simple solutions for increasing high school completion rates and healthy life styles as a result of positive community engagement. POP strives to connect the groups of neighborhoods in East Dallas through horticultural, environmental, and nutritional educational experiences. They are a community of compassionate, thoughtful child advocates who see gardening as a way to bridge many of the gaps that exist in our neighborhoods, schools, and lives.