“One third of all the restaurants are new this year, so that will be fun,” Talisha Coppock, the executive director of Downtown Bloomington Inc., said. “And all of the food trucks will be there this year, so that’s exciting as well.”
The festival, whichCoppock said typically draws around 12,000 people, helps raise money for the Independent Restaurant Association, Community Kitchen, Downtown Bloomington Inc. and Hoosier Hills Food Bank.
Coppock said it’s hard to say how much money the event might raise because the turnout largely depends on the weather, but she hopes they will raise at least a few thousand dollars for each organization.
The event costs $7 if tickets are purchased online and $8 if they are purchased onsite. Attendance is free for children under age 12.
“It’s interesting because a lot of the restaurants have alumni who used to work for them when they were in college and a lot of those alumni come back to Bloomington for the event,” Coppock said. “It’s kind of like a reunion.”
FARM Bloomington, Hartzell’s Ice Cream, Indian Garden and the Trojan Horse are some of the restaurants serving food at the event.
Most of the small meals will cost $1-4.
“It’s important for Bloomington, being a foodie town, to showcase the variety of different foods and the quality of the product,” Coppock said. “It’s also a good opportunity to try a new restaurant. We have all kinds of restaurants from all cultures.”
There will also be a wide variety of musical guests this year, ranging from jazz to country to ’80s rock to Caribbean. Here Come the Mummies, whom Coppock calls a crowd-favorite, will also perform.
Along with Taste of Bloomington, locals and visitors will have the opportunity to attend Bloomington Garden Club’s annual Summer Garden Walk and the Taste of Freedom motorcycle ride, which are also taking place on ?Saturday.
The garden walk, which will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will feature six private gardens and the annual flower show, Sunshine in the Garden.
The Garden Walk will also include aa special display of garden-themed art at the Monroe County History Center.
For Taste of FreedomRide, motorcycle riders will travel a scenic route to Nashville, Indiana, where they will visit local shops and microbreweries before riding an alternative route back to the Harley-Davidson of Bloomington. Funds raised will go toward services for veterans.
“Over 500 volunteers work very hard to make this event possible,” Coppock said of Taste of Bloomington. “It’s fun, it’s outdoors and it kicks off summer in Bloomington. It’s a very relaxed event.”
The weekly farmers’ market will still take place Saturday morning but will close an hour early, at noon, so vendors can prepare for Taste of Bloomington. Coppock emphasized the food festival will happen rain or shine.
“It’s a treat for all the senses,” Coppock said. “You’ve got the smell of the grills, the beautiful sound of the music, the feel of summer and, obviously, tasting.”
