Cocktails & Castoffs

About This Event

Join us for a special 20th anniversary edition of Cocktails & Castoffs on Sunday, April 19, 2026. Guests will enjoy signature drinks and curated bites inspired by DIG farmers’ gardens in Kenya, Uganda, and Senegal, an evening rooted in the flavors, traditions, and ingenuity of the communities we serve. As we gather, we’ll explore the intersection of food, culture, and sustainability through a dynamic conversation on how farmer-led solutions are strengthening local food systems in a rapidly changing climate. Alongside DIG’s Founder and Executive Director, Sarah Koch, we are honored to welcome Paula Thomas, a Denver-based food anthropologist, sustainability educator, and co-founder of Grappolo Food & Wine School. Paula’s work explores the deep connections between food, culture, and the land, shaped by years of learning alongside farmers and food communities around the world. Paula will be joined by Karla Baltazar of the SSA Group, a Denver-based food creator and community partner whose work brings people together around shared food traditions and meaningful culinary experiences. Together, they will help guide a conversation that reflects many of the same questions DIG farmers explore every day: how food traditions, land stewardship, and community knowledge shape resilient food systems and the unique role the Denver community has played in supporting this work. In partnership with the National Western Center, this signature event brings together food, culture, and community to support locally rooted food systems that restore health and dignity, build resilience, and strengthen local ownership.