Thousands poured into the Showers Commons on Eighth and Morton streets this past Saturday to celebrate the annual Taste of Bloomington. People packed in shoulder to shoulder in order to enjoy the music and sample local food, both new and old. The Taste took over all of the Commons as vendors peddled their various foods and drinks in several white tents across the event space.
The event was comprised of more than 30 vendors, many of whom are local Bloomington businesses and restaurants. Throughout the course of the day, thousands flocked to the commons in order to get a taste of the many diverse genres of cuisine Bloomington has to offer.
“Everything has run totally smooth and people have had a really good time,” said Cindy Kinnarney, one of the operation directors for the Taste. “I’ve had people comment what a great event it is and for a great cause.”
The cause is that of the Hoosier Hills Food Bank, a charitable organization that provides three million pounds of food annually to other nonprofits that help serve people in need and with low incomes. Part of the proceeds from the event benefit the food bank. Another portion of the proceeds goes to the Community Kitchen of Monroe County, which provides food directly to those in need.
The event happens annually and is one of the city of Bloomington’s biggest projects each year. The Taste is organized by a large board of about 30 people who meet once a month throughout the year in order to organize the event. Most of the board members are local Bloomington entrepreneurs and civic leaders.
One board member said each member brings his or her own strengths to the table. The organization of the event also takes communication and a lot of emails sent back and forth.
The Taste has many layers that need to work together in order to form a cohesive operation. One of the most crucial aspects of an event this large is the security. More than 50 security members were employed this year, many of whom were from the Bloomington Police Department. In addition, other law enforcement officials were brought in from surrounding townships.
Security officer Jim Graham said things were relatively quiet.
“We’ve had a few little things like lost ID’s and people carrying around too much beer,” Graham said, “But overall it’s been a pretty tame crowd so far.”
More than 30 different restaurants and bars took part in the event this year. Some are Bloomington landmarks that have been around for years, while others are relative newcomers. Restaurants like Mother Bear’s Pizza were lined up right alongside food trucks like the Big Cheeze.
“I’ve noticed we’ve gotten some people who’ve never been to Soma before,” said Jennifer Wyrick, a barista at Soma Coffee House and Juice Bar. “It’s also a really good cultural experience.”
Sarah Joss, an employee who works at Mother Bear’s Pizza, said the operation from the restaurant end will take a few months of planning. From having somebody continuously running pizza from the restaurant, to managing both the tent and the restaurant at the same time.
“It’s kind of like a part of Bloomington,” Joss said about the Taste. “We’ve been in Bloomington for so long that we feel like we just kind of belong here.”
