Chamber saving Taste of Worthington comeback for 2023
The popular Worthington summer food festival, Taste of Worthington, is expected to make a return in summer 2023 after a multiyear hiatus, the Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce has announced.
“Bringing back Taste of Worthington is something we’re excited about because we are community-minded and member-focused,” Worthington Chamber of Commerce executive director Matt Lofy said. “Just to bring back another large community staple is a sign of progress from this pandemic, not just for the chamber but our community.
“Hopefully around a year from now, we’ll be chowing down in person at Taste of Worthington.”
The popular outdoor festival, which features a variety of food and drink vendors and typically attracts thousands of visitors, has not been held since 2019 due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
For an approximate $10-$15 admission fee, attendees pay special pricing per plate for a variety of appetizers, main dishes, desserts and other items from a selection of local vendors and restaurants at sizes that are larger than a sample but smaller than an entrée, Lofy said.
Next year’s event might have some “new and exciting changes,” according to a chamber news release. Those changes, as well as the location and date, are still to be determined, Lofy said, but the chamber is gauging feedback from past participants and attendees about suggestions for next year’s event.
“We’re looking at all possibilities to make this a more enjoyable event in its return,” he said.
Lofy said chamber staff opted to stage the festival again next year instead of this year in large part because of the organization’s 24th annual Red, Whites and Desserts fundraiser back in April.
“What could we feasibly pull off that wouldn’t be too taxing on our members?” he said. “We just felt like with Red, Whites & Desserts and trying to do Taste of Worthington, that would be asking a lot of our food providers in an industry that was hit so hard during the pandemic and still working through the workforce issues.”
Taste of Worthington would have been among a variety of local Worthington events that since have returned in the past year after a temporary pause due to the pandemic.
The Worthington Partnership’s Picnic with the Partnership, a large community gathering featuring food and music throughout closed sections in Old Worthington, is one of them, having returned June 25.
“The Partnership is thrilled to be hosting our fifth Picnic with The Partnership,” said executive director Annina Parini. “It’s great to bring this community favorite back after we paused for two years.”
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@ThisWeekSteve
This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Chamber of Commerce saving Taste of Worthington comeback for 2023
