By Christine Bryant
Staff Writer
Take out your Hawaiian shirts and leis – this year’s Taste of Reynoldsburg will have you dreaming of sandy beaches and palm trees.
The event that showcases local restaurants and businesses is celebrating its 19th year and will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. June 21 in Huber Park off Davidson Drive.
Admission is free, though visitors pay a fee, between $1 and $4, each time they want to sample offerings from local restaurants. Currently, there are 33 vendors scheduled to attend.
“It’s going to be a really exciting event because we’ve reached out to the Reynoldsburg community businesses, as well as surrounding area, to try to get more businesses to attend,” said Donna Shirey, chairperson for the event.
Food vendors range in cuisine, from Tall Timbers Banquet Center to Tortilla, Holly Hill Farms Meat Shoppe, Probst Beer and Wine Cafe, and Culver’s. There also will be non-food vendors on hand, including Fairfield National Bank, American Family Insurance, Reynoldsburg Helping Hands and Reynoldsburg Schools.
While most of the vendors will be located outdoors, a few will have booths inside the Reynoldsburg Senior Center, located next to Huber Park.
This year’s theme is “Hawaiian Luau,” and the Reynoldsburg Area Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the event, will sell leis and coconut and pineapple cups.
There also will be a bounce house, clown balloon artist and the Heartland Bank hot air balloon that will provide tethered rides – all in an effort to include more families in the event.
“We really want to make this more family focused,” Shirey said. “I think that’s why we’ve really wanted to reach out to more of the community.”
Musician Ray Wheatley will perform at the Taste of Reynoldsburg and the Truro Fire Department will also be on hand.
Shirey said organizers are making an effort to advertise the event in an effort to draw both businesses and visitors to the community.
“This is something we continue to plan and have been planning since the end of last year’s event,” she said. “We really want to get the word out because this has been something going on for 19 years. This is an event that gives people an idea of what Reynoldsburg and the surrounding communities offer, as well as gives businesses an opportunity to network.”
The Chamber is still take applications for vendors or businesses interested in participating through June 15. For information, contact Shirey at (614) 406-0970 or go to reynoldsburgchamber.com. Parking is available in the general vicinity of the park and volunteers will be on hand to assist visitors.
