The Arcadia Chamber of Commerce’s annual Taste of Arcadia and Business Showcase at the Taste will return on Monday, Sept. 22 at the Los Angeles County Arboretum, 301 N. Baldwin Avenue. Pre-sale Taste of Arcadia tickets are on sale now here through June 30 at $40 for members of the Arcadia Chamber, and $50 for non-members.
Peter Dills
Beginning July 1, prices will be $70 (Chamber members get a $20 discount – $50 for Chamber members as of July 1) until Friday, Sept. 19. Tickets at the gate will be $75 ($60 for Chamber members). Note: Chamber office and phones are closed Monday, Sept. 22, when tickets can only be purchased at the gate of the entrance to the L.A. County Arboretum, 301 N. Baldwin Ave.
Jyll Everman
Taste of Arcadia and Business Showcase at the Taste, which runs from 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. at the lush outdoor setting of the Arboretum around the iconic fountain, is expected to draw about 1,500 attendees this year. Participants enjoy the many different foods and tastes from at no additional charge beyond the admission ticket from more than 40 of the most exciting local restaurants, caterers and wine-and-beer vendors.
Cassandra Pugh
The face of Taste of Arcadia is Talk Radio KABC 790 star Peter “King of Cuisine” Dills, who will walk the red carpet, sign autographs in his booth, and be one of the judges of the annual Culinary Contest along with Food Network stars Jyll Everman and Cassandra Pugh, as well as Chef David Flood of Flooded with Flavor Catering Company.This year’s Taste of Arcadia and Business Showcase at the Taste features an additional 40-plus business exhibitors, including car dealers with about a dozen of the newest model cars, plus many new activities:
A sequel to the popular Hollywood premiere-style Red Carpet Experience created by Printing Control will make you feel like a star in front of the paparazzi as you have photo ops with KABC radio star Peter Dills, the exotic Brazilian dancers, and other dignitaries and surprise guests.
The T.G. Metzger State Farm Insurance Monday Night Football Lounge returns with live viewing of the game on a big-scren HDTV that will be raffled off just before 9 p.m.
Other attractions include:
A classic car show presented by Wayne Williams of Professional Advisory Services.
The popular Lounge-O-Rama band playing swing, Big Band and Standards early in the evening, and shifting to classic pop rock after dark.
Daniela Brazil and her popular exotic Brazilian dancers
MonArc Face/Body Painting and Balloon Animals — let the popular Taste of Arcadia wine glass/peacock logo live a little longer with a temporary tattoo on your cheek or arm!
The Arcadia High School drum line serenading attendees as they arrive.
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As judges, Dills, Everman, Pugh, and Flood will sample food, desserts and drinks from dozens of vendors throughout the entire evening. Winners will need to be present and still serving to guests when judges announce their selections near the end of the event at 9 p.m. in the following categories:
Best of Show
Most Innovative Dish
Best Savory Item
Best Dessert Item
Best Presentation
None of it would be possible without the following unprecedented number of sponsors:
Presenting Gold Sponsor: Westfield Santa Anita (also year-round Community Builder Presenting Sponsor Member and Digital LED sign premium sponsor)
Business Showcase at the Taste Sponsor – Rose Hills Memorial Park & Mortuary (also year-round Keystone 365 Connection Sponsor Member of the monthly Networking Breakfasts and first premium sponsor of Chamber’s new Digital Display sign board)
Silver-Plus Sponsor and Gift Bag Sponsor: Vons
Silver Sponsor, Classic Car Show: Professional Advisory Services, Wayne Williams
Silver Sponsor: Methodist Hospital
Silver Sponsor: Breeders’ Cup
Silver Sponsor: Merrill Lynch Arcadia
Silver Lining Partner: Foothill Credit Union
Bronze-Plus Sponsor: Century Rooter Service & Plumbing
Bronze Sponsor: Wells Fargo, Baldwin Avenue
Bronze Sponsor: City of Arcadia’s Shop Arcadia and Arcadia Transit
Red Carpet Sponsor: Printing Control-Jerry Dominguez
Monday Night Football Lounger Sponsor: State Farm, T.G. Metzger
Ticket Sponsor: Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority
Live Music Sponsor: Southern California Edison
Tram Sponsors: Arcadia Association of Realtors; City of Arcadia’s Shop Arcadia and Arcadia Transit
Media Partners: Beacon Media’s Arcadia Weekly
Parking Light and Support Services: Jan’s Towing
Trash recycling courtesy of Waste Management
Flood Lighting courtesy of Jan’s Towing
VIP reserved tables centerpieces courtesy of Majestic Design Florist
And the tireless Taste of Arcadia Committee of Volunteers, including:
Bruce McCallum, CTO (Chief Taste Officer)
Sylvia Ramos (Dilbeck Real Estate) Food/Beverage vendors and Culinary Contest
Vicki Knight (Century Rooter Service and Plumbing), Business Showcase exhibitors support
T.G. Metzger (State Farm Insurance), Ticket sales, Promotion/Publicity/Marketing/Advertising, Monday Night Football Lounge
Wayne Tay (Town & Country Event Rentals), Overall Facilities, Logistics, Layout
Pete Siberell (Santa Anita Park), Administration & overflow parking
Bruce Snell, Security, Parking Control
Aaron Rose (Avid Learning Resources), Volunteers
Gil Stromsoe (Mark Shaefer Associates), Budgetary controls
Wayne Tay (Town & Country Event Rentals), Logistics, Rentals, Electricity, Sound
and Chamber staff Taste of Arcadia support staff coordinator Kim Arnold and Cherry Liu as well as Chamber contractor Kristy Thatcher Bradshaw under CEO Scott Hettrick
Lounge-O-Rama
<Story continues following fliers below and four video highlights of the 2012 event from the Chamber’s YouTube Channel, and photo gallery… >
First, a fast-paced four-minute overview of the entire day and evening…
Extended highlights in a six-and-a-half overview, including a nearly two-minute collection of clips and behind-the-scenes footage from the KTLA TV-5 production…
An 11-minute collection of interviews and highlights from attendee Gib Whitney’s Wide Eyed Productions company…
A snappy and sophisticated 3 1/2-minute highlight reel produced by Andrew Gregson of The Executive Factor in Arcadia…
< (Click here to see videos of other years of Taste.) As always, a percentage of proceeds from Taste of Arcadia are donated to local non-profit organizations — $5 per ticket for every ticket sold by a pre-approved organization.Taste of Arcadia began as a much smaller event nearly 40 years ago to raise money for the Arcadia Tournament of Roses Association float. Known as both The Wines Shed Mixer and A Taste of Arcadia was held on the infield at Santa Anita Park for a period of time. When the AToR dissolved in 1999, all assets, including the annual fund-raiser, were transferred to the Chamber. The Chamber continued the food and wine event at Santa Anita for a few years under various names, including the Festival of Food, before moving it to the L.A. County Arboretum several years later and adopting the name of Taste of Arcadia.