West Side prepares for the Taste of the ValleyDate: 8/3/2017
WEST SPRINGFIELD – West Side’s Taste of the Valley is coming to the West Springfield Town Common on Aug. 10 to 13 and will feature local food, music, a petting zoo, a cruise night, a kids fun run and the towns 5k Road Race. Westfield Bank is sponsoring this year’s Taste of the Valley.
At the 18th Annual Chefs’ Preview at Springfield Country Club hosted by The Rotary Club of West Springfield and the town of West Springfield food and drink vendors offered a preview of what they’ll be presenting at The Taste.
Maria Alfarone of Mama Mia’s Pizzeria had a large chaffing dish overflowing with her ziti, which featured broccoli, chicken and a garlic sauce.
“They don’t let me change it, I do this every year,” Alfarone said of the popular dish.
Williams Distributing Kevin Bagge, provided a large selection of beers including craft beer, imported beer as well as premiums Bud Light, Shock Top, Joe 10, Be Hoppy IPA, Stony Joe Golden Mocha Stout, Back East and Switchback Ale. At the event, Williams Distributing will also be providing an assortment of premium wines and soft drinks. Additionally, air-roasted coffee from Pierce Bros. of Greenfield will be for sale, served by The Lions Club.
The Trolio family of Trolio’s Restaurant filled the space with the scent of their homemade Italian sausage on the grill. Not only did the Trolios have the classic hot and sweet sausage, but they offered a mixed garlic, parmesan and onion sausage, a sun dried tomato and basil sausage, as well as a specialty granny smith apple sausage.
Edible Arrangements was represented at the Chef’s Preview with an assortment of fresh fruit in containers. The famous fruit company had a variety of milk chocolate and white chocolate dipped fruit including strawberries and pineapple among others.
Tony Calabrese of West Springfield’s Calabrese Market served fried dough with powdered sugar at the event. Calabrese Market will be participating as a part of Carol’s Concessions.
For entertainment, the weekend will include a series of bands each day. On August 10 at 5 p.m. Acoustic 80’s with Scott Lawson Pomeroy of Orange Crush will be performing. Pomeroy has appeared in more than 1,000 shows in the country and has had his songs featured on four television networks. At 7 p.m., Cash is King: The Music of Johnny Cash, June Carter and The Tennessee Three will be performing.
Aug. 11 will feature Off the Record, a 1960’s-1970’s cover band at 5:30 p.m. Following Off the Record at 8 p.m. Ticket to Ride: New England’s Premier Beatles Tribute Band will be performing. Ticket to Ride has performed live on TV and has performed sold out shows in both Massachusetts and Connecticut.
On the 12, there is an impressive array of five bands throughout the day. At 11 a.m. Colorway will be performing. Colorway is from Northampton and plays pop-rock songs. According to information provided from The Taste, Colorway’s shows are engaging, high-energy, and are a celebration of the power of music to heal, connect and inspire. At 1 p.m. Shokazoba Funkestra will play funky fusion jazz with an Afrobeat experience. Following Shokazoba, at 4 p.m., the Piper-Hopkins Band will be performing a fusion of rock, folk, reggae, blues, country, jazz, R&B and soul music. At 6:30 p.m., Kyle Langlois, one of the top 20 students from the Berklee Summer Music Program will be offering a variety of pop/rock hits on his guitar piano and mandolin. Wrapping up Saturday’s musical talent is Bennie and the Jets: A tribute to Elton John at 8 p.m. Bennie and the Jets has performed all over the world.
The final day of West Side’s Taste of the Valley will have three final performances starting at 11 a.m. with Wind of Sparrows, an indie/folk band that consists of Nathan Orie and Jade Bryant. At 1 p.m., the Big E Mardi Gras Band is going to perform Mardi Gras music as well as music by The Beatles, Roger Miller, Bobby Vinton, The Turtles, Tom Jones, and Polish, Irish and Italian music. The final concert of The Taste will be Gerry Moss at 3 p.m. Moss has performed alongside Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, George Jones, Hank Williams, Jr. and more.
The Taste of the Valley annual 5k Road Race will begin at 9 a.m. on Aug. 13. The participants will run a 3.1-mile loop, sponsored by the Eastern States Exposition. For the first time, the Taste will have a kid’s Fun Run. The kid’s run begins at 10:15 a.m., and is meant for children ages two to 10. Adults entering the 5k must register online at westsidetaste.com, or through http://eorcrunner1.wufoo.com/forms/taste-of-the-valley-5k-2017/. There are also registration forms available at Curry Printing, 91-A Union Street and Fast Feet in West Springfield.
Rounding out the weekend’s events, the “Saturday Cruise” is taking place on Aug. 12 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The cruise is sponsored by Affordable Auto Glass Inc. and will feature classic, special interest, and antique cars. At 3 p.m. a panel will judge the vehicles, and at 5 p.m. prizes will be awarded for first, second, third and best of show. Andre’s Sports and Awards will be providing trophies.
West Side’s Taste of the Valley will run on Aug. 10 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Aug. 11 from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., Aug.t 12 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Aug. 13 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Parking is available in public lots, in neighboring business lots and on the street. Food purchases are cash only and adult beverage sales are by tickets. Tickets for alcoholic beverages can be purchased at event ticket booths.
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