Over a four-day period, an estimated tens of thousands of visitors descended on Central Park for the annual “Taste of Elmwood Park” in the eponymous west suburb.
The festival — the biggest in the community — has for over 30 years drawn crowds to food, contests, drinks, music, crafts, kids’ rides and more. This year, Taste of Elmwood Park started Aug. 8 and wrapped Sunday Aug. 11, and had a different feel and offerings every day.
Though, with cooler summer temperatures and clear skies, there was one constant: the crowds.
Liza Achurra, along with her husband, had their three grandkids with them Sunday, and it was their second day of fun.
“It’s been excellent,” she said.
Achurra had her face painted as a tiger, and she said the event had something for everyone.
For the craft-minded vendor tents hawked polished stones, T-shirts, Taylor Swift fan gear and jewelry, while steps away live bands performed for a packed audience. Farther back, a bocce ball tournament went on.
Village Manager Paul Volpe said since there’s not a gate and since the food vendors operate with cash as opposed to tickets, it’s hard to get a firm handle on how many people show up over the course of the event. But one of the organizers who helps run large events, estimates attendance in the tens of thousands easily.
“He estimates about 30 [thousand] or 38,000 people come over the four-day weekend,” Volpe said. “We try to keep it a neighborhood event. It’s grown over the last 12 years since Mayor (Angelo) Saviano has been here, but he’s tried to keep it a family event.”
Volpe said despite the big numbers, the visitors have remained fairly local and he’d recognize most of the attendees. The mayor, he said, would know everyone.
“We keep it affordable, we keep it clean and we keep it safe. It’s kind of a nice family vibe,” he said.
But, of course, the food was the star of the show.
“We love the rides, the games and the food is so good,” Achurra said.
Achurra said she liked Massa Café, and Blondie and Gringo’s offerings while the kids liked the ice cream they’d had a day prior.
Stretching down 75th Avenue, throngs of people stood shoulder to shoulder waiting in lines for their favorite local treats.
Among the favorites was Johnnie’s Beef, which this year sponsored the Elmwood Park Neighborhood Civic Organization, a community service group in town.
Rick Accettura, a volunteer taking cash for the popular Italian beef sandwiches, said, in brief pauses between customers, the weekend had been a boon for the booth.
“It’s been very good,” he said. “We’ve seen a lot of people.”
The brick and mortar Johnnie’s is on the other end of 75th Avenue and, for that matter, most of the food vendors are just as local and well-known beyond the community.
Volpe said their quality is what makes the event special and it’s why the Taste doesn’t feature any chains or non-local restaurants. It’s the food people love in the community that supports it,
The village manager said from the initial reports over the weekend, the Taste brought in record alcohol sales, which were ticketed and managed by the village, and he heard similar things from the food vendors.
“Really that’s the key to this event,” he said. “When we call this a Taste of Elmwood Park, this really is a taste of Elmwood Park. We want people to come and get a taste of something they can get each and every day in Elmwood Park.”
Jesse Wright is a freelancer.
