AMHERST — A total of 21 restaurants will converge upon the Town Common on Thursday to start the annual Taste of Amherst.
This year’s Taste marks the 25th anniversary of the event and is organized by the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce and presented by Atkins Farms Country Market. Festivities will run from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
“We’re going to have just a great year,” said Kim Alli, Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce marketing and membership director, as she helped set up the venue Wednesday. “This year is going so smoothly I’m almost concerned,” she laughed.
Alli said the Taste weekend, in recent years, has consistently drawn crowds of up to 20,000 people and organizers anticipate even more this year.
“It’s really starting to gain speed,” she added, pointing to the event’s ever-increasing visibility and appeal to local vendors.
Among the 21 restaurants at the Taste of Amherst are five which are new to the event, Alli said. Those are Hangar Pub & Grill, TOP Kabab, Sunset Grill & Pizza, Goten of Japan and Haven Foods.
“It’s a really good way to kind of submerge themselves, get to know other vendors (and) become part of the community,” she said.
A beer and wine tent will be open Friday and Saturday evenings.
Alli also emphasized the Taste’s appeal to families, dubbing it an all-ages event that will also feature live music, a children’s fun area, and Lupa Zoo exotic animal presentations on Saturday and Sunday.
There will be a free trolley shuttle to the Taste from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, leaving about every 10 minutes from Amherst Regional High School.
Michael Majchrowicz can be reached at mmajchrowicz@gazettenet.com or 413-585-5234.