Variety is the Key to Taste of the Arts menu options


While Taste of the Arts is a great arts event with lots of different artist demonstrations, live music and art-related children’s activities the annual springtime event is possibly more well-known for the amazing food at the event! The 19th Annual Taste of the Arts, to be held on Friday, May 17 from 5 – 9 p.m. in downtown Piqua, features taster size portions from fourteen different restaurants and caterers including two brand new participants.

The restaurants and caterers are split into two large tents located on Ash Street on either side of Main Street. All the food items are priced according to tickets and the food tickets can be purchased at the ticket booth which is conveniently located between the two restaurant tents on Main Street. Food tickets are $1 each and food items range from $1 to $4 per item. The variety of foods being offered at the event is impressive and visitors are sure to find something that suits their tastes at a variety of prices.

The new participants in Taste of the Arts this year include Mulligan’s Pub and Buffalo Wings and Rings both of Piqua. Mulligan’s Pub, downtown Piqua’s newest restaurant, will have three offerings including a mini Reuben slider, a baby Mulligan burger or a pretzel stick with mustard sauce. Buffalo Wings and Rings will have their traditional wings on hand with five different sauce options.

Returning this year will be Romer’s Catering from St. Henry and they will have a smoked brisket slider and a variety of mini gourmet desserts. JR Catering, LLC from Conover will have their popular balsamic herbed chicken and stuffed mini peppers and sweet tartlets for dessert. Z’s Sports Bar from downtown Piqua will have both cheese and sausage pizzas along with funnel fries.

Nothing says Taste of the Arts more than Winans Fine Chocolates and Coffees chocolate dipped strawberries and this year the Piqua chocolate institution will also offer a pretzel rod and chocolate covered Nutter Butters. Another long time participant in Taste of the Arts is Ulbrich’s Hometown market and they will have their very popular homemade sausage sandwich, junior maid-rites and strawberry donuts. Piqua’s Red Lobster will be on hand with shrimp cocktail, clam chowder and a variety of desserts including their delicious key lime pie. Pulled pork, smoked beef brisket and smoked baby back ribs are always popular menu items and Hickory River Smokehouse from Tipp City will be on hand with all of those offerings. Joining us at Taste of the Arts from Greenville will be both Montage Café and Catering by Michael. Montage’s selections include their very popular fruited chicken salad on croissant. They will also be bringing back their delicious spinach fettuccini salad. Catering by Michael has jambalaya, chicken artichoke and their perennially favorite napoleons. Piqua’s East of Chicago Pizza Company will have two offerings. They are deluxe pizza and pepperoni pizza and for those who like Cajun food LeDoux’s has red beans and rice, crawfish etouffee and chicken and sausage jambalaya. Especially for those with a sweet tooth Dobo’s Delights, located in downtown Piqua, will have their signature cinnamon roll, decorated cookies and cakepops. The Mainsteet Piqua organization’s cupcake gallery will also be in the food tent with a variety of beautifully decorated cupcakes of various flavors.

A selection of beverages is available at the beverage booth, also conveniently located between the two restaurant tents on Main Street. Mainstreet Piqua has partnered with Mulligan’s Pub, 110 W. High Street, to offer a beer and wine tasting area on the outdoor dining patio next to the restaurant. There will be several different wines and beers to choose from as well as margaritas to go with the live ‘Parrots of the Caribbean’ music being offered as a part of the festival. Parrots of the Caribbean is a Jimmy Buffet tribute band that will be doing two one hour performances during Taste of the Arts. Their shows will be at 6 & 7:30 p.m. in the 300 block of N. Main Street.

Taste of the Arts is presented by Mainstreet Piqua and sponsored by many businesses throughout the Piqua community. The full Taste of the Arts menu, along with all the pricing, can be downloaded from the Mainstreet Piqua website at mainstreetpiqua.com. Visitors to the website will also find the full schedule of events for the evening. Taste of the Arts is scheduled for Friday, May 17 from 5 – 9 p.m. in downtown Piqua.

Taste of the Arts Set for Friday, May 17

Miami County’s official kickoff to summertime, Taste of the Arts, will take over the streets of downtown Piqua on Friday, May 17. This annual family-friendly, fun event has no shortage of new offerings and entertainment for everyone. The event runs from 5 – 9 p.m. in the 300, 400 & 500 blocks of N. Main Street.

Taste of the Arts is a wonderful ‘taste’ event that gives visitors a sampling of delicious food, live music and art. Taste of the Arts features fourteen different area restaurants and caterers offering their popular menu items with prices ranging from just $1 to $4. The restaurant tents are located in the 100 blocks of East and West Ash Street – right in the middle of all the activities and fun. To purchase food or beverages during the evening all transactions are done with tickets and the Taste of the Arts ticket tent is conveniently located between the food tents. Tickets are sold in $1 increments. The beverage booth is also located next to the food tents for easy access.

Taste of the Arts will also feature eleven different demonstrating artists in various storefronts along Main Street. The demonstrations include oils and acrylics, to duct tape wallet making, to an interactive painting project hosted by Bennett Intermediate school at which festival attendees can try their hand at an easy art project that will later be displayed in the school.

The event will also feature a computer animator and rolled clay demonstrations. All the storefronts that will be hosting demonstrating artists will have large signs depicting the artists name and their demonstration times. The second floor of Apple Tree Gallery will be hosting a student art exhibit featuring works from students from not only all of the Piqua City schools but also Piqua Catholic School and Lehman High School.

The Main Street Kids Zone is located in the 400 block of N. Main Street and features free activities from local non-profit organizations. There will be six different offerings and this year a photo booth has been added to the event. Our special children’s entertainer this year is the Kuda Taka Taiko drum group from Mississinawa Valley High School. They will be doing two different performances at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the North end of the 400 block of N. Main Street.

Another popular feature of the Taste of the Arts is the wonderful live music that fills the air. For the first time ever the Parrots of the Caribbean will be the featured entertainment and their two hour long shows are set for 6 and 7:30 p.m. The Parrots of the Caribbean will be located in the main entertainment stage in the 300 block of N. Main Street and benches are available for those who would like to sit a while and enjoy the music. In addition the barbershop group Lamppost IV will be strolling the downtown and performing in a number of storefronts throughout the evening.

Various homemade crafts, jewelry, and scarves will be available for purchase in the Farmers and Artisans Alley in the 500 block of N. Main Street.

Admission to Taste of the Arts is free. A full schedule of events can be found on the Mainstreet Piqua website at www.mainstreetpiqua.com. For more information call Mainstreet at 937-773-9355.

There is lots of excitement about the 2nd Annual Mainstreet Piqua Chocolate walk on Friday, October 14th. We have completely sold out of tickets and probably could have sold another 50! There are 28 businesses participating!

The first market of the 2010 season of the Piqua Community Farmers Market was yesterday and we had a wonderful turn out of vendors and customers. With several new vendors added to the existing array of regular vendors we had quite a full market. Very soon we will have some Farmers Market billboards to help spread the word about the weekly market. In the meantime we hope that we can continue to build the weekly attendance. If you love the market tell your friends and family about it!

Taste of the Arts is coming soon

Hard to believe that Taste of the Arts is less than three weeks away. It is going to be a great event. Going strictly by the numbers we have 14 restaurants, 10 demonstrating artists, 6 kids zone activities, one teen "graffiti" activity and one entire evening of fun. Don't forget to be there... Friday, May 15 from 5 - 9 p.m. in downtown Piqua. www.mainstreetpiqua.com

Clean Up Day Slated for Downtown Piqua

Mainstreet Piqua will be hosting a downtown Clean Up Day on Saturday, May 2. The fun gets underway at 8:30 a.m. at the gazebo on High Street. Our goal is to get the downtown looking spiffy and clean for all the fun stuff we have planned for the coming months.

We will start with coffee and donuts at the gazebo and then move on from there - great fun will be had by all!

Flowers, Flowers Everywhere!

Mainstreet Piqua is in the process of raising funds for the Downtown Piqua Planter program. This is a picture of the way the planters looked last summer.

We are hoping to raise about $1,500 to buy the flowers and greenery for this year's planter program.

If you are interested in donating to the planter program please check out Mainstreet Piqua website that is listed below. http://http://www.mainstreetpiqua.com/add_somecolor.php