Leslie Young
Founder & Creator of the NRV Food Fest
A Florida native who now proudly calls Christiansburg home, Leslie has made it her mission to bring people together through community, creativity, and small business. She is the founder and creator of the NRV Food Fest, owner of Opal Whitening Company in Uptown Christiansburg, and the soon-to-open owner of Baked & Loaded, a potato bar opening in mid-August in Uptown Christiansburg.
Leslie's love for event planning, marketing, and social media has allowed her to build connections between local businesses and the community she now calls home. Whether she's organizing festivals, creating content, or helping small businesses grow their online presence, her goal is always the same: bringing people together.
How the NRV Food Fest was born
The idea for the NRV Food Fest was born from disappointment — but quickly became something positive. When an out-of-town company canceled its planned food truck festival just one week before the event, many local vendors and families were left frustrated. Rather than watch the excitement disappear, Leslie stepped in.
"I couldn't stand seeing our community let down. I knew we had incredible local food trucks, artisans, and small businesses that deserved a chance to shine. I wanted to create something that was truly for the New River Valley, by someone who genuinely cares about this community."
That vision became the NRV Food Fest — a celebration of local food, small businesses, artisans, and giving back. This year's festival also supports Micah's Backpack, helping provide food to local students experiencing food insecurity.
Beyond the festival
Beyond the festival, Leslie continues to invest in Christiansburg through her businesses. Opal Whitening Company helps clients smile with confidence, while Baked & Loaded will soon offer creative loaded baked potatoes and comfort food with a fun, welcoming atmosphere.
For Leslie, success isn't measured only by growing businesses — it's measured by building relationships. So if you see her walking around the NRV Food Fest, working behind the scenes, or around Uptown Christiansburg, don't hesitate to stop and say hello. She loves meeting new people and hearing their stories.
After all, community has always been the heart behind everything she does.
Meet the crew behind the festival
John Kesterson
Welcome John Kesterson as the Official Videographer for the NRV Food Fest! John brings years of experience behind the camera, and we're thrilled to have his talent helping capture all the excitement, amazing food, local vendors, live entertainment, and unforgettable moments that make our festival so special.
His creativity and passion for storytelling will allow us to showcase the incredible community that comes together at the NRV Food Fest. We're honored to have John on board and can't wait for everyone to see the amazing work he'll create throughout the event.
If you see John around the festival with a camera in hand, be sure to stop, smile, and say hello! 👋
Jeda Swaine
Meet Jeda Swaine, our Assistant Event Coordinator for the NRV Food Fest! ❤️ Jeda is the founder of Pop Off and Loaf Around and Find Out, two amazing local businesses, and she's bringing that same passion, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit to our event.
Behind the scenes, she's our right-hand girliepop 💁♀️✨ — helping with planning, vendors, logistics, and making sure everything comes together for an incredible festival.
If you see Jeda on event day, be sure to say hello! 👋 We're beyond grateful to have her on the team.
Mari Perry
Maricella Perry Photography
Mari Perry with Maricella Perry Photography has officially joined our team as the Event Photographer for NRV Food Fest! With years of photography experience and a true passion for food, wine, and capturing life's special moments, Mari is the perfect person to help document all the excitement of our festivals.
From smiling families and talented vendors to incredible food and unforgettable memories, she'll be there to capture it all! We're thrilled to have Mari as part of the NRV Food Fest family and can't wait to share her amazing work with our community.