Event gets revamped

The Taste of Jay County is getting a redesign this year.
Now called Jay County Food & Drink Festival, it’s set for Sunday and has several new features.
In addition to food sampling, this year’s event includes food demonstrations, entertainment, a local produce pavilion and wine and beer tasting (for an extra cost).
“We changed the name just simply because we added a lot more neat features to the event,” said Dean Sanders, director of Jay County Chamber of Commerce. “We wanted to provide the community with a greater value for the ticket price and also have the opportunity to pretty much expand the event.”
Previously held during Winterfest, the event has always been well-attended, Sanders said, but the committee thought it could be larger.
Entertainment will include performances by Stars in the Park winner Gabe Bailey, as well as Ken Bantz, Lott Holmes and Dave Fennig.
The demonstrations include healthy eating from Jay County Hospital, home craft beer brewing from Matt Glentzer and salsa making by Dru Hall. Ivy Tech Culinary School instructors will be making an entrée and dessert from several items off the locally-produced food pavilion.
And 20 food vendors, including some that aren’t involved in the chamber, are scheduled to appear, including Harmony Café and Studio, Lil Bistro, El Matador, Rolling Luau and Suman Bros. Pizza. Last year, the event featured 14.
“It’s great to have them there, and there’s a couple on the list I’m pretty sure that people aren’t aware of,” Sanders said. “It’s kind of neat we’re going to be able to have the community come and see some different food vendors that they weren’t aware of right here in Jay County.”
Indiana craft beers and wine will also be available for the first time this year.
Event goers can get three samples of two ounces of wine for $5 and four samples of three ounces of craft beer for the same price.
“It’s going to be fun,” Sanders said. “We thought that it’s always been a great event, it’s always been very well attended, but we thought this was an event that there was so much more that could be done.”
Advance tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for seniors older than 60 and children ages 5 to 12 if purchased in advanced.
If the 350 tickets available for the event are not sold out in advance, they will be sold at the door for $17 for adults and $15 for seniors and children.
In addition to entertainment, food and demonstrations, there will also be gift certificates to local businesses raffled away.
Sanders said visitors will get their money’s worth at the event.
“When you take a look at not only getting the food samples, but adding the demonstrations and getting the entertainment and everything like that, it’s like, wow that’s a good deal,” he said. “It’s going to be a great value for anyone who is going to be there.”
The event has already been well received by community members, and Sanders hopes the Chamber will continue to offer the event at this capacity in years to come.
The event, hosted by Jay County Chamber of Commerce, is from 4 to 7 p.m. at Jay Community Center, 115 E. Water St., Portland. Tickets may be purchased at the Chamber of Commerce until Friday.
“Just bring your appetite. It’s going to be a great afternoon of food, fun and friends and obviously we want to encourage everyone to come support our local chamber members as well as our Jay County food vendors,” Sanders said.