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| By Michelle Kealey Staff Writer WESTFIELD The Rotary Club of Westfield is giving members of the community an extra day and some new features to enjoy during Westfield's Taste of the World this year. According to Dawn Thomas, Rotarian and chairperson of the event, the Rotary Club members decided to shorten the hours on Friday and added Thursday evening to the event, which is being touted as Westfield's Block Party. She said that the Taste did not attract a lot of people on Friday afternoons because many people were still working. She also said that the club wanted to make it worth while for the restaurants who participate. In addition to adding a day, the Rotary Club is eliminating the carnival, but adding a Rotary Playland area. Thomas said that since the airshow at Barnes Air National Guard Base is the same weekend, it would have been difficult for the Police Department to work both events. "We told the mayor we would cut something out to save people from crossing the street," she said. The carnival portion of the Taste took place on the City Green and people had to cross the street to attend the food portion of the Taste, which takes place on Elm Street. "We didn't want to leave the children with nothing," she said. Instead of the carnival, the Rotary Playland will be located at the former Newbury's site and will include face painting, rock climbing, balloon makers, along with other activities. Thomas said that Warner Brothers characters from Six Flags will visit the Playland and the Rotary is trying to have the Springfield Falcon's mascot, Screech, visit as well. "It will be a wonderful venue for children," she said. The Rotary is allowing non-profit agencies to set up booths inside of the Rotary Playland to raise money for their individual causes. The Rotary Club has been hosting Westfield's Taste of the World for 14 years and uses the event as a fund-raiser. Thomas explained that the event originally took place on Arnold Street. She said that the Community Development Corporation put on the event for the first three years. The event grew, and the organization did not have the manpower to keep it going, she said. Thomas explained that the mayor approached different civic groups about taking over and because the Rotary Club had the manpower, it took on the task. "All the money we raise, we give back to the community 100 percent in the form of grants," she said. The grants have benefited organizations such as the local schools, Noble Hospital, the Cancer House of Hope, the Girl Scouts, Habitat for Humanity, Stanley Park, the Carson Center, the YMCA, Juniper Park, the Historical Society, the Pioneer Valley Boy Scouts and the Discover Westfield Children's Museum. "The taste raises as [much] as $23,000 to $25,000 a year," Thomas said. Thomas said that planning the Taste is a lot of work, but "we're quite good at it and enjoy doing it. It's all for a good cause." She said that a lot of restaurants that participate in the Taste return year after year. She added that the Rotary Club is always looking for more restaurants to participate. Thus far, the following restaurants will be at this year's Taste: Angelo's Fried Dough Ben and Jerry's Boy Scouts B'Shara's Chad's Good Table China Star EB's Gus & Paul's Johnathan's Kentucky Fried Chicken Kosinski's Farm Millie's Pierogies Mooliscious The Ranch Rotary Club of Westfield School Street Bistro Simon Sez Westfield Fire Department Westfield Kiwanis During the Taste, Elm Street is blocked off from Franklin street to School Street and anywhere from 45,000 to 50,000 people visit the event each year, according to Thomas. The Taste is not just about the food. A number of bands will perform throughout the four days. The schedule is as follows: Thursday, Aug. 25 6 p.m. Frank Manzi (Joint performance with Brass Attack), Brass Attack 8 p.m. Big Shot (Billy Joel Tribute Band) Friday, Aug. 26 6 p.m. Focus 413 (Jazz) 8 p.m. Changes in Latitudes (Jimmy Buffet Tribute Band Saturday, Aug. 27 6 p.m. In Time (50-60's) 8 p.m. John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band Sunday, Aug. 28 1 p.m. Cottonwood (Country/Western) 3 p.m. Little Big Town. Thomas said she hopes "people will come out" and she is "praying for good weather." Any restaurant that wishes to be part of Westfield's Taste of the World can contact Thomas at 562-3606, the Rotary Club at 564-6000 or can visit www.westfieldstaste.com for a vendor application. The hours of the Taste are: Aug. 25 from 4-10 p.m.; Aug. 26 from 4-10 p.m.; Aug. 27 from 12 - 10 p.m. and Aug. 28 from 12 - 5 p.m. Westfield Gas and Electric is the principal sponsor of the event. Other sponsors include: Berkshire Bank; City of Westfield; Elm Electrical, Inc.; Jerome's Taylor Rental/Party Plus; Noble Hospital; Westbank; Westfield Bank; and Westfield State College Foundation, Inc. |