This year’s Taste Edmonds is fifth the size — and for adults only

It’s not your typical Taste Edmonds.

This year, the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce’s three-day festival is for those 21 and older.

Taste Twenty-One, set for Aug. 20-22, will feature food trucks, live music, a beer and wine garden and a cornhole tournament.

There are no kids allowed — that means no children’s activities or bouncy houses — this year because children younger than 12 can’t be vaccinated against COVID-19. At least, not yet.

The festival also won’t be at the Edmonds Civic Playfield this year. Due to construction, Taste will be held at the Frances Anderson Center Field. This location is much smaller — just about a fifth the size. Which means attendance is capped at 5,000 instead of the typical 20,000 per day.

“Because of the reduced capacity, as well as the fact that we’re still in a pandemic and children are not able to get vaccinated yet, we decided to make this year’s Taste Edmonds a 21-and-older event,” said Alicia Moreno, the chamber’s communications and program coordinator. “The ticket price is also different.”

Tickets are $30 this year, up from $5 to offset costs. That’s because the pandemic has put the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce at financial risk.

“The whole reason that we do Taste Edmonds is to fundraise,” Moreno said. “The revenue from Taste Edmonds provides the operating funds for the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce to produce all the other free, all-ages, family-friendly events that we put on for the community.”

Taste Edmonds is a fundraiser for the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce to pay for An Edmonds Kind of Fourth, Edmonds Classic: Car & Motorcycle Show, Halloween Trick-or-Treat Night and the Tree Lighting Ceremony, annual events that are all free.

Festival food trucks will let you get a taste of Alaska Weathervane Scallop, Edmonds College, Island Creamery Concessions, Langostino Sushi Burrito, Kaleenka Piroshky, The Cheese Pit and Thai-U-Up.

Take your pick of tribute shows and cover tunes at Taste Twenty-One. The lineup features One Love Bridge, Heart by Heart, Hair Nation, The Beatniks, Petty Thief, Prom Date Mixtape, The Infinity Journey, Washed in Black, The Atomic Punks, Robbie Dee’s Tribute to Elvis, Mas Tequila, Whiplash Smile and Nite Wave.

While registration for the cornhole tournament has closed, you can still watch it. The popular yard game has players taking turns to throw bags of corn kernels at a raised platform with a hole in the far end. A bag in the hole scores three points, while one on the board scores one point. Play continues until a team or player reaches 21 points.

The Beer and Wine Garden features local pours from Schilling Cider House, Seattle Cider, Proletariat Wine Co., Fremont Brewing, Crucible Brewing, Silver City Brewery and Boneyard Beer — but you can still find go-to favorites like Blue Moon, Mac & Jack’s and White Claw.

“This festival is vitally important to our community and the Edmonds Chamber,” said Greg Urban, chamber president and CEO, in a press release. “With the shortened timeline to plan and promote Taste Twenty-One, plus the new format (smaller venue and 21+ only), we are doing everything we can to pull this off.”

In addition to community events, the three-day festival also has allowed the chamber to provided thousands of dollars in donations to Edmonds-area nonprofits.

The chamber’s annual budget is $275,000, funded by memberships from local businesses and Taste Edmonds. The budget covers three employees, grants to businesses and the annual events.

Last year, the chamber launched An Edmonds Kind of Hero campaign asking for $100,000 in donations to stay open through 2021. More than 600 donors have contributed a total of $107,700 so far.

“I don’t think anyone saw the delta variant coming,” Moreno said. “We restaffed and brought the team back together thanks to that Edmonds Kind of Hero campaign, but we’re back to a point where we need Taste Edmonds to succeed to be able to continue forward.”

Vaccination isn’t required to attend Taste. But a $10 discount is available with proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 48 hours of the event.

“We understand that some are hesitant to attend events — and wanted a way to say ‘thank you’ to those who have gotten vaccinated,” Urban said. “To clarify, we are not requiring vaccinations to attend the event, we are just showing our appreciation to those who have been vaccinated. Everyone, regardless of vaccine status, can purchase tickets.”

Can’t go to Taste Twenty-One? Donate to support Edmonds Chamber of Commerce events at www.edmondschamber.com/support-edmonds.

Sara Bruestle: 425-339-3046; sbruestle@heraldnet.com; @sarabruestle.

If you go

Taste Twenty-One is 2 to 10 p.m. Aug. 20, noon to 10 p.m. Aug. 21 and noon to 8 p.m. Aug. 22, at Frances Anderson Center Field, 700 Main St., Edmonds. Featuring food trucks, live music, a beer and wine garden and a cornhole tournament. Cost is $30. Discount available with proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test. Call 425-670-1496 or go to www.tasteedmonds.com for more information.