Story posted Friday, June 5, 2009
'Taste' Festivities Open Tonight
Three-Day Weekend Of Music, Food, Fun Begins This Evening
Tent setup continues Thursday along Ellinwood Street for the annual 3-day "Taste of Des Plaines" festival beginning tonight. (Tom Wessell/The Journal)
The main stage is all set, the beer and soda pop in place, the food court full, and nuns from the Carmelite Monastery have agreed to pray for a dry weekend.
The 9th annual downtown Taste of Des Plaines officially kicks-off tonight (Friday) at 6 p.m. in front of the Public Library on Ellinwood Street. A major sponsor is the Journal & Topics Newspapers.
The three-day festival, which attracts thousands of people interested in good food, good music, local art and a myriad of other fun activities, begins and ends with Beatles tribute bands. The Safes will perform tonight at 6 p.m. on the main stage. On Sunday at 5 p.m., BritBeat will perform for two hours. In between, the Des Plaines Art Guild will host its 56th annual art fair; the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce will conduct its Home Health & Consumer Expo under a white tent; the Des Plaines History Center will host its old fashioned "Pies on the Porch", and the Des Plaines Park Dist. will conduct is annual "Chase to the Taste" 5K walk/run. There will also be a bungee run, moonwalk, climbing wall and arts & crafts.
"We had to turn some restaurants away," said Linda Forman, chairman of the Des Plaines Special Events Commission, which organizes and runs the Taste. All 13 available restaurant spots are filled, she said. On sale will be everything from pizza to Italian beef sandwiches. All 13 members of the commission will be involved in the weekend festivities, said Forman.
Soft drinks will be on sale for $1 each as well as beer for $4 per glass.
Musical group Mike & Joe Band, which plays alternative rock songs, will perform Friday night at 8 p.m. Hi Infidelity, which plays music by Journey, REO Speedwagon and Styx, will perform at 8 p.m. on Saturday. Both groups have been Taste headliners for years.
Hours of the festival are:
* Friday from 6 to 11 p.m.
* Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
* Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
There is no charge to attend.
For a full schedule of activities, where they will be held along Ellinwood Street and other Taste information, see special 16-page section published in Wednesday's Des Plaines Journal.
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