Organizers are reinventing the Taste of Bloomington this year. The summer food festival hasn’t been held since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Organizer Jordan Davis announced more details Monday morning.
This year's Taste will cap food prices at $5. Headline performers will be Clayton Anderson and Dizgo. The free event will be from 3-10 p.m. Aug. 2 along Kirkwood Avenue.
Downtown Bloomington Executive Director Talisha Coppock said the event was canceled after 2022 because of labor shortages, increased costs and lack of volunteers.
“It was a very expensive event to produce. We had three major music stages, electricity, and farmers market was in that location,” she said. The previous Tastes were ticketed events at Showers Plaza.
Coppock hopes new organizers can find a sustainable model.
Davis said he and about 20 others are working on that while making it more equitable.
“They didn't pass along an organization or funds, but just said, 'You can take Taste of Bloomington,'” he said. “We'll give you the social media accounts, and we trust you. Don't screw it up.”
Davis is also the Chocolate Moose operations director and coordinates Food Truck Friday at Switchyard Park. He hopes residents and businesses will show their support.
“We need sponsorships. We need community partners for us to cover the expenses of this one-day event, which are pretty massive,” he said. “We need every company and business to pitch in a little bit.”
Coppock said bringing the festival back is huge for downtown Bloomington.
“The Taste started in the early 1980s, and each decade has its own feel to it, and own touch and own volunteers that are participating, and new food trends, music trends.”
This story was originally published March 3, 2025 and has been updated with additional information. Katy Szpak contributed to this story.
