“Delta as Culinary Journey” is Theme of 2026 Delta Heritage Forum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (September 16, 2026) – The California Delta’s culinary riches will be celebrated this fall.  

On November 5, the annual Delta Heritage Forum presents “Delta as Culinary Journey,” a full-day event presenting a kaleidoscope of food-related cultural stories centered in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, both historic and modern. 

The Forum is an event dedicated to celebrating Delta stories, nurturing collaboration, and inspiring new thinking and initiatives in the Delta heritage community. This year the Forum is co-sponsored by the Contra Costa County Historical Society. 

This will be the first time the event focuses on food-centric pioneering innovations and multicultural contributions, as well as the agricultural bounty of the region. 

Darrell Corti, president of Corti Brothers in Sacramento, will deliver the opening talk: “Delta as Food Source and Inspiration.”  

Other notable speakers include Austin Stevenot, a Northern Sierra Mewuk cultural practitioner who will discuss the foodways of the Original People who flourished in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta; and Dr. Karen Leonard of UC Irvine, who will present the history and food traditions of the Punjabi-Mexican community, a unique cultural fusion of early 20th-century immigrants in California's Delta and Central Valley regions.  

The Forum runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Brentwood Community Center. Participants will be well-fed –the event includes morning coffee and pastries, a full lunch and a vintage cake tasting.

The full event schedule is here and the speaker bios are here. 

Tickets are $55 (plus an Eventbrite fee) and are available here. Tickets cover all food costs and seating is limited.

For more information about the Delta Heritage Forum or the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area, contact Kira O’Donnell, NHA information officer, kira.odonnell@delta.ca.gov, (530) 650-6362.  

###