Greg Urban, producer of this year’s A Taste of Edmonds — Aug. 11-13 at Civic Playfield — set out in his new gig to “bring Edmonds back” to the Taste.
Urban kept hearing from folks that very few local restaurants and arts and crafts shops had booths at the annual festival.
“Clearly it’s what the people want,” Urban said in a press release from the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce president’s desk. “I was on a mission.”
But only three of the 35 food vendors signed up for the Taste are local: Demetri’s Woodstone Taverna and Scott’s Bar &Grill from Edmonds, and Moonshine Barbecue from Lynnwood. (And in the beer garden, check out the brews from American Brewing in Edmonds.)
“While our local restaurants are sympathetic and understand that people would love to see them at the Taste, they just can’t participate,” Urban said.
Most don’t have enough staff to run a restaurant and a booth at the same time; most don’t have mobile kitchens, refrigeration, tables, signs and tents; and if a dish can’t be prepared to its usual standard, most chefs do not want to sell it.
The same with owners of small businesses in Edmonds, Urban said. They just can’t do it.
Urban’s conclusion is that people can continue to support small restaurants and shops in the city while still enjoying the annual A Taste of Edmonds, one of the most highly rated festivals of its kind in the state. And if people travel to the festival and enjoy themselves, surely they will return to eat in Edmonds, he said.
Among the eateries at the festival starting Friday will be the regional chains Blazing Onion Burger Co. and Lemongrass Vietnamese restaurants, Afghan Delicious, Delicious Asia, Kaleenka Piroshky, New Orleans Cookery, PB Goodness, Scotty’s Northwest (regional fish food truck), Zieglers Bratwurst, Kona Ice NW, Old Fashion Kettle Corn Co., Simply Soulful Cafe, Mac &Cheese Whaaaaaat?, Sweet Fish ice cream in fish-shaped cones, Curry House, Hapa Food Co., JJ &Sons, Loukoumathes Greek-style honey puffs, Mangosteen206, Pat’s Philly Steak Sandwiches, Truly Med and Biringer Farm berry treats from Arlington.
“That’s a wide range of delights to satisfy any palate,” Urban said.
The Taste also features lots of activities for children, a Washington wines garden, a beer garden with a cornhole game tournament, Tulalip casino tables and musical entertainment.
On Friday, the main stage and beer garden stage will feature the award-winning Edmonds-Woodway Jazz Band, classical guitarist Scott Lindenmuth, jazz pianist Deems Tsutakawa, Neil Diamond tribute band Cherry Cherry, the 85th Street Big Band, Jokers Run, Night Fever, Spike &the Impalers, Randy Oxford’s All Star Slam and The Beatniks.
Saturday’s lineup includes Steel Magic Northwest, School of Rock, Edmonds All-Stars, Borrowed Time, The Hipsters, Washed in Black’s Pearl Jam tribute, Down North, The Machine and Nite Wave.
On Sunday, hear the Abbagraphs, Pleasant Valley Sunday, Paperback Writer, Michelle Taylor, The Afrodisiacs, The Spazmatics and Mr. Pink.
And, as usual, a number of Edmonds School District high school graduating classes will reunite in the beer garden, including Meadowdale 1977 on Aug. 11, Edmonds 1987 in the afternoon of Aug. 12, Lynnwood 1997 during the evening of Aug. 12, and the Edmonds-Woodway class of 2007 on Aug. 13.
A Taste of Edmonds
The 35th annual festival is 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Aug. 11-12 and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 13 at Civic Playfield, 310 Sixth Ave. N., Edmonds. Admission is $5, but free for children. An extra $2 cover charge is made in the beer garden after 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Can’t find a place to park? Run up to Edmonds-Woodway High School, 7600 212th St. SW, and jump on a free shuttle bus. Proceeds from the event help the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce fund all sorts of community events. More at tasteedmonds.com.
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