The Taste of Durango, organized by the Durango chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association, is an annual event that goes beyond feeding the belly. It’s a culinary feast of sights, street performers and live music, and as a fundraiser for five nonprofit beneficiaries this year, it nourishes the community at large.
Half of the profits from token sales will support Durango DEVO, Music in the Mountains, Adaptive Sports Association, SASO – Sexual Assault Services Organization and the Young Professionals of Durango. In 2016, the event donated $14,000 to Manna soup kitchen, the sole beneficiary that year. Manna is not one of the beneficiaries of the 2017 Taste.
The Taste runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday and will span Main Avenue from Sixth Street to 11th Street. Over 90 vendors will represent some of Durango’s best culinary delights, craft brewers, top chefs, artisan spirits and mixologists. Emergency services including Durango Police Department and Durango Fire Protection District will even have interactive and educational booths near 11th Street.
Access into the venue is free and tokens may be purchased for $1 each at one of four booths located at each cross street the day of the event. Food and beverage items average in price between four to eight tokens. A vendor map provided by 92.9 The Point is available for download on the iTunes App Store and Google Play.
“I think that we have the best Taste out of any metropolitan area within the state,” said Dave Woodruff, president of the restaurant association and event organizer. “I think it’s Durango’s official kick-off for summer. Nine times out of 10, it’s sunny and everyone turns out to celebrate the great weather and everything that Durango has to offer – great food, drinks and all the culinary elements.”
Part of the celebration is to create an environment that fosters community participation and education, and highlights all that the beneficiary nonprofits do to support the people living in the area. There also will be a guest vendor booth for the local chapter of Cooking Matters, which provides free courses in cooking, nutrition and budget education.
One element of the learning curve to promoting a sense of community is to create an environment rich for social interaction. Over several years, the event featured a single stage for performing musical acts that, according to Woodruff, wasn’t really working, “It was drawing people away from the vendors.”
This year, the main stage has been eschewed in favor of live bands at each street intersection and street performers throughout the length of the event. “The organizers this year are really trying to get everyone involved, to get a street fair feel by having musicians play live music at each street corner with unicyclists, jugglers and performers wandering throughout the event,” said Eugene Salaz of Durango Massive Productions, who is in charge of sourcing performers for the Taste.
“The Taste is unique because it gives the opportunity for people to enjoy food and drink from restaurants you may not have frequented before,” said Beau Black, vice president of the Durango restaurant association. “It’s fun for the whole family, a great way for restaurants to showcase their specialties and it’s all for a good cause.”
If you go
The Taste of Durango lasts from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday and spans from Sixth Street to 11th Street on Main Avenue.
Access into the venue is free, and tokens may be purchased for $1 each at Maria’s Bookshop or at one of four booths located at each cross street the day of the event. Food and beverage items average in price between four to eight tokens.
A vendor map provided by 92.9 The Point is available for download on the iTunes App Store and Google Play.
