A new, larger venue hopes to help a local fundraiser better serve the Centre Region.
Centre County United Way is moving its signature “Taste of the Town” event to the Bryce Jordan Center this year. Organizers say the shift to a larger space should help make the fundraiser more accessible.
“The BJC welcomed us in, and we couldn’t be more excited,” event coordinator Celesta Powell said in a statement. “A bigger venue gives us more restaurants, more guests, more potential overall… but it also brings changes in how we need to do things.”
This year’s fundraiser, set for 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15, will feature food and drinks from 30 local establishments, including restaurants, bakeries, breweries, wineries and food trucks. Guests are encouraged to try each dish in a buffet-style setting before voting on their favorite vendors across multiple categories.
Although the event’s restaurant committee is still working to finalize a list of vendors, the following establishments have committed to December’s event as of Nov. 4:
- Bees Knees Coffee
- Benjamin’s Catering
- Big Spring Spirits
- Blue Sky Smiles
- Bonnie Blue’s Smokeys & Sweets
- Brown Dog Catering
- Café Lemont
- Carnegie Inn
- Carter’s Table
- Centre Care
- Clem’s
- Cozy Thai Bistro
- Edible Arrangements
- Fasta & Ravioli Co.
- Gemelli Bakers
- Happy Valley Vineyard & Winery
- Hublersburg Inn
- Mount Nittany Vineyard & Winery
- Philly Pretzel Factory
- RE Farm Café at Windswept
- Sunset Slushy
- State Burger Co.
- The Tavern Restaurant
- University Wine Co.
- Webster’s Bookstore Café
- Valley Girl Sweets Co.
- 814 Cider Works
Both live and silent auctions will accompany the dinner.
“Taste of the Town is truly a unique experience,” said Lisa Rittenhouse, a longtime volunteer. “It brings together people in our community who want to support our neighbors in Centre County who are struggling. They also love trying all the amazing food our local restaurants have to offer. It is a night of food, philanthropy and fun!”
Tickets for the event are available online through Ticketmaster. Individual admission costs $100 per person, while tables of 10 are available for $850. Thirty tables are reserved for group seating, while 25 others are available for individual diners.
Business casual or formal attire is encouraged for the event, according to its event page. Guests are asked to avoid wearing jeans or t-shirts.
Taste of the Town dates back to 1997 when the AIDS Project of Centre County gathered 16 local restaurants and caterers for an exhibition at the Ramada Inn in State College. The event series soon moved to the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center and continued until the AIDS Project closed and handed Taste of the Town over to Centre County United Way.
In the last decade, Taste of the Town has become Centre County United Way’s largest fundraiser. Proceeds from the event annually benefit United Way partner organizations that support Centre County residents and families with food, shelter, utilities, health care services and more.
For more information on this year’s Taste of the Town event, visit Centre County United Way’s website.
