Wilmington College’s sixth annual Food Symposium on April 8 will center around the theme “Waste Is a Terrible Thing to Waste.” The symposium is free.

In contrast to previous years’ symposiums when a nationally known speaker presents a keynote address, this year’s event will offer more of a homegrown flavor and feature research by Wilmington College students.

The day’s schedule includes the food waste fair, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., in Hermann Court; a cookie bake-off in Kelly Center, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., and a panel discussion in Kelly Center, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on “Food Waste Prevention: Opportunities and Threats.”

The Food Waste Fair will feature student research projects, free food sampling and 20-minute, on-stage demonstrations on food dehydration as a preservation strategy, long-term food storage methods, a food waste bio-digester demonstration, compost toilet designs and methods for preventing food waste through strategic distribution.