COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio man who raised $55,000 in a joking crowdfunding appeal to pay for his first attempt at making potato salad threw a huge public party Saturday that promised “peace, love and potato salad.”
PotatoStock 2014 was held in downtown Columbus and featured bands, food trucks, beer vendors and, yes, plenty of potato salad — made from more than 3,000 pounds of potatoes.
Zack Brown had jokingly sought $10 on Kickstarter in July to buy potato salad ingredients, but his mission drew global attention and earned tens of thousands of dollars.
The Idaho Potato Commission and corporate sponsors donated potato salad supplies for the party.
Brown is partnering with the Columbus Foundation to support charities that fight hunger and homelessness. The account started with $20,000 in post-campaign corporate donations and will grow after proceeds from PotatoStock are added.
“His fund will have potential way after this potato salad is forgotten,” said the foundation’s Lisa Jolley.
Brown said he hopes to be able to “do the most good that I can.”