Shaun Treat
Two sure-fire ways to tell it’s springtime in Texas: the blooming Bluebonnets and the wail of tornado sirens. In Denton we also know it’s the beginning of festival season, and one savory tradition we look forward to is the Taste of North Texas shindig! Read on to find out how you can gnosh your way through a sampling of Denton’s foodie favorites.
Billed as the most anticipated annual fundraiser of the Denton Kiwanis Club, Taste of North Texas is a wild gluttonous tour of over 35 local businesses, caterers, and food suppliers in one single-day slam-bang event. The 2017 charity feast is this Thursday March 30 from 5:30-8:00pm at the Golden Triangle Mall, with a live performance from Country singer/songwriter Philip Campbell. You can find out where to buy tickets here, or simply order them online, but $15 for a ticket to ride is a bargain.
There are many good reasons this Kiwanis Fundraiser is a 27-year Denton favorite. First, it is a whirlwind tour of local food & beverages – including alcohol & craft beers – that allows you to sample the signature flavors of both Denton favorites and newcomers. The Chestnut Tree, Mellow Mushroom, Corner Bakery, Milpa, World Famous Mom’s on Main, and Bone Daddy’s are offering up tasty fare alongside Beth Marie’s, Kolache Haven, NV Cupcakes, The Paschall Bar, and Revolver Brewery. You can drool over their full lineup on their Facebook event page, but the sheer variety of unique samplings guarantees something for everyone.
Mom’s on Main from Aubrey is one of our gold standards in down-home comfort food and pie, and you can taste why at the 2017 Taste of North Texas expo. Photo courtesy of World Famous Moms on Facebook.
Another reason this event is a worthy cause is because money raised from the fundraiser supports the Denton Kiwanis Club Children’s Clinic on Elm Street, a non-profit which provides a low-cost or no-cost medical, dental, and prescription assistance for disadvantaged children in the Denton area. The clinic is funded by grants and fundraisers, but its decades-long success can only continue if we pitch in to help meet the increasing needs. The event also asks for a little visitor participation with its People’s Choice Polls that can offer some nice bragging rights.
But make no mistake, Taste of North Texas generates a lot of anticipation and excitement primarily because the Kiwanis Club tends to offer a few surprises. In years past, they’ve dared local restaurateurs to bring their best experiment in wild game, or solicited samplings of tasty beverages and debut craft beers, along with a handful of surprise vendor giveaways.
Hungry foodies and fans crowd the 2014 event. Photo Courtesy of the Denton Record Chronicle.
Did we mention kids under 6 get in FREE? No cooking tonight, Mom!
Our pro-tip is to pre-purchase your tickets and be sure to make a few extra laps around the expo before some of the special samples run out. As always, tag your photos with #WDDI on Twitter and Instagram so we can see and share the amazing adventures in ‘Dentoning’ that you stumble into!
Shaun Treat is a former professor at the University of North Texas and founder of the Denton Haunts historical ghost tour. Doc has written about numerous local places and personalities at his Denton Haunts blog, and is forever indebted to the great work of our local keepers of history like Mike Cochran and Laura Douglas at the Emily Fowler Library for their tireless work in helping preserve Denton’s intriguing past. Be sure to check out our local museums curated by the fine folks at the Denton County Office of History & Culture, and follow @Dentonaut on Twitter for local happenings.
Copyright © 2016 Shaun Treat. All Rights Reserved.
SOURCES
From last year
http://wedentondoit.com/blog/2015/3/24/what-is-taste-of-north-texas
The Denton Kiwanis Club's most anticipated event, the Taste of North Texas is scheduled for Thursday March 30 inside the Golden Triangle Mall. For one price you will be able to sample food and drinks from approximately 35 local restaurants. Visit our website at http://tasteofnorthtexas.org/ for a list of the restaurants that we have confirmed so far, ticket prices etc. If you have never attended, I can GUARANTEE you that you will not be disappointed Tickets prices are: $15 for adults (Ages 18 and older), $10 for ages 7 to 17. Children ages 6 and under get in free.. You can email us at denton.kiwanis@verizon.net if you should have any questions.
The Denton Kiwanis Club was chartered December 6, 1921. The club formed the Denton Kiwanis Club Children's Clinic in 1923 and has continuously provided free medical, prescription and dental assistance to the children of northern Denton County. Proceeds from this event are used to support the efforts of the clinic and other youth services that the club provides.
The Denton Kiwanis Club is also involved with other service projects including supporting Boy Scouts, 4-H, Reach Out and Read, Special Olympics, awarding $5,000 in scholarships as well as sponsoring the Builders Club at Bettye Myers Middle School in Denton. For more information about the club and information to become a member please visit our website at: http://dentonkiwanisclub.org/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1324311674246879/