Next week, Blue Moon Market & Cafe will be like the kid with a Christmas birthday. That's because, along with ringing in the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, the Exeter staple will also be celebrating its own 15th Anniversary with a week of local food, fun, and freebies.

On Thursday April 22nd, the café will feature a number of promotional events and giveaways, including: live bluegrass from 11 am to 2 pm; free take-home sunflower seedling set-ups; free carrot cake or coffee with your meal; a 15% Off Sale on selected items; as well as vendor samples, a raffle, and various in-house demonstrations and presentations.

Then on Saturday the 24th, Blue Moon will play host to an elegant four-course gourmet dinner. All of the ingrediants will be locally sourced from within a 100 mile radius, and feature a who's who of local vendors and growers from throughout the Seacoast. Proceeds from the dinner will benefit the non-profit Chef's Collaborative.

“Hosting a gourmet dinner is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time," says Kathy Gallant, owner of Blue Moon. "All of the stars aligned with Earth Dinner to celebrate Earth Day and our 15th anniversary with our inaugural evening event. Finding new ways to promote local and organic food sources is a great way for us to honor the Earth, which is part of our mission at Blue Moon.”

 The meal, which is $50 per person for four courses, will be available from 6:30 to 8:30, and offers a vegetarian option. Seating is limited and reservations are required. Gallant’s son Jeremy and two other musicians will again be setting the mood with dinner music during the event.

“The menu that Matt and his staff will be preparing is reminiscent of Blue Moon’s daily fare in that it will be sourced locally, and will be a healthy take on gourmet", says Alissa Gallant. "The great thing about the limited seating at Earth Dinner is that it will give our chefs and bakers the opportunity to focus on the fine details that will make this a gourmet meal to remember. Attendees will experience a whole new side of Blue Moon, the dining room and the service will reflect the gourmet nature of the meal. The staff, our customers and friends -- everyone’s buzzing about it.”

For more information or to make a reservation for Earth Dinner call Blue Moon Market and Café at 778-6850 or click here