Taste of Athens County Food Festival

Start: Saturday, May 14, 2022 2:00PM
End: Saturday, May 14, 2022 9:00PM

ATHENS, OHIO (April 29, 2022) - In partnership with the Athens County Convention and Visitors Bureau and sponsored by Tri-County Career Center and River Willow Culinary, the Taste of Athens County Food Festival will take place on Saturday May 14th from 2 PM - 9 PM. The event celebrates Athens’ local food and drink including restaurants, bars, chefs, vendors, organizations, and more! All profits from Taste of Athens County will be donated to the local non-profit, Community Food Initiatives [CFI]. Proceeds will further their mission, “to foster communities where everyone has equitable access to healthy, local food.” The first-time event will be hosted on a closed section of the uptown bricks of West State Street right off Court Street in Athens, Ohio. The entire block from the J Bar to the Southeast Ohio History Center will be shut down for the day for foodie festivities. The free admission event takes place within Uptown Athens DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area) for those of age to enjoy drinks from Court Street bars while enjoying activities. Event-goers can expect food options from on-site vendors, like Chelsea’s Real Food and Dr. May’s Thai Kitchen, and outdoor tables to sit and watch food demos or live music. Surrounding restaurants, including Casa Nueva and Bagel Street Deli, will be offering takeout options, samples, and in the case of Tony’s Tavern, even more. The Taste of Athens County will take place the same day as the bar’s 40th anniversary, a celebration to include drink specials and group photos. Taste of Athens County will host local crafters, artists, and businesses. The event will also have interactive, family-friendly activities on site from Community Food Initiatives, Rural Action, the Athens Farmers Market, and more. To kick off the day, all are encouraged to attend the Athens Farmers Market to check out more of the community’s vendors and farmers. The market, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, takes place every Saturday from 9 AM – 12 PM at the Market on State Mall on East State Street. In partnership with Athens Farmers’ Markets’ anniversary, the Southeast Ohio History Center will be open to the public for extended hours during the day to show their current “From Farm to Table” exhibit from 12-6 PM. In the afternoon, a variety of free food demos will take place featuring local chefs and culinary students. Tri-County Career Center students are excited to be leading a “Kitchen 101” food demo featuring how to break down a chicken, basic knife skills, how to make a homemade BBQ sauce as well as a simple salad with homemade vinaigrette. They will also share a delicious recipe for grilled street corn. Their instructor, Chef Katie Mosher, will also do a demo featuring her business River Willow Culinary Services which features small group catering, personal chef services, and in-home cooking classes. Chef Katie will demonstrate some tips and tricks to use the same limited ingredients in different ways to wow your friends at your next dinner or event with some amazing appetizers. Additional featured food demos will include those led by dietetic interns and Assistant Professor Dane Salabak in Ohio University’s School of Applied Health Sciences and Wellness featuring local and seasonal foods. Dr. Mathurada Rath of Dr. May’s Thai Kitchen will be demoing Som Tum Thai, also known as green papaya salad. Chef Chito Trinidad of Ohio University’s Jefferson Market and Culinary Studio will be closing out the food demo lineup. The evening will kick off with local band, the Come On Come Ons, in front of Tony’s Tavern at 6:30 PM with more musical acts to close out the night. To stay up-to-date on all things Taste of Athens County, follow the event’s social media @tasteofathenscounty on Instagram and Facebook. To learn more about Community Food Initiatives, please go to their website, communityfoodinitiatives.org. For more information about the Taste of Athens County Food Festival, please contact Event Coordinator, Ella Shroll at eshroll@athensohio.com.