Taste of Louisville bringing the biggest dinner table to Main Street
The Louisville Chamber of Commerce is ready to help spark hope and joy with a variety of Taste of Louisville events this weekend.
Taste of Louisville and Taste Trail, which ran the month of May, is going out to wrap with a big community dinner called Dinner on Main followed by a silent disco on Friday. On Saturday, there will be a 5K run followed by Summer Fest.
Paul Rossi, a chamber board member and the owner and manager of Rocky Mountain Tap and Garden, helped to organize Taste Trail (passport program featuring bites around town) and the community Dinner on Main events. He said that the Taste Trail was an opportunity for residents to go out to new and different restaurants, try the city’s best bites and then vote in an array of categories — like best baked good, appetizer, cocktail, family hangout spot and more. Voting wraps May 31 and winners will be announced at Summer Fest on Saturday.
Rossi said that the Dinner on Main event sold out in 30 hours. He said that the event will feature one giant community table (over 100-feet long) on Main Street that will serve 200 people who can order from a tasting menu from local restaurants.
“It’s a chance for people to get together, sit together and enjoy their neighbors,” Rossi said.
Rossi said that those who were able to get a ticket to Dinner on Main before it sold out should expect great food and a chance to also taste great beer from local breweries and a variety of different wines. Proceeds from the event will go to local nonprofit Louisville-Rising.
Rossi also noted that Louisville is a recovering community, still rebuilding after the Marshall Fire and dealing with the lasting repercussions of the pandemic. He said that the community is yearning for reconnecting with their neighbors and community, and the Taste of Louisville events hope to do that. He said that the idea behind the Dinner on Main event was to give residents an opportunity to reconnect.
Gillian Millar, managing director at Little Big Sound and a chamber board member, also said that the various events are a chance for the community to reconnect after years of hardship.
“Sitting around the table together sharing a meal has always been how families unite, and after a tough 18 months we wanted to do that for our entire town, share a fabulous meal together, family style, under the stars and celebrate our community coming back stronger than ever,” Millar said.
Millar said that while many Louisville families are starting to rebuild after the fire, many others are still displaced or getting back on their feet. She expressed that the chamber wants to kick off the summer with hope and some fun activities for the community.
The Silent Disco after the dinner is free and open to everyone. She said that there will be three channels for participants to choose from. People can simply put on a pair of headphones, pick their preferred channel and dance the night away.
“It’s spring, it’s summer, let’s get back together again. Let’s share a meal and dance under the stars, let’s just celebrate together,” Millar said.
She also noted that the First Friday Art Walk will also take place that same day.
The 5K Fun Run and Dog Jog will start Saturday at 9 a.m. Millar said that the 5K has always been a part of the Taste of Louisville event, although it has been revitalized this year. The run will have two starts, one for serious athletes who are looking to get their best time yet, and another start for runners who want to go at their own pace, and maybe even wear a silly costume. Dogs are also welcome to join in. Millar said that people are encouraged to get a ticket for the event beforehand, but people can also sign the morning of. All proceeds from the 5K will go to a local animal shelter.
Following the 5K will be Summer Fest, full of booths, live music, the farmer’s market, the arts and crafts market and a scavenger hunt. Summer Fest will also welcome the traditional spaghetti-eating contest and announce the winners of the Taste Trail.
Millar said that while the Taste of Louisville events are taking place downtown, so the chamber can help highlight local businesses.
Louisville Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Eric Lund said that the Taste of Louisville has been reimagined for 2023. The Dinner on Main, silent disco and Taste Trail events are new this year and that the Summer Fest was upgraded too, with a stage for live music, Lund said.
“The chamber exists to support the local business community, but also the community at large,” Lund said.
He also stated that Louisville is still rebuilding, and these events are there to reconnect residents and bring a spark of joy back into the community.
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