The Taste of Wellington sign lights up the night.
By Alissa Foley
The Village of Wellington hosted its second annual Taste of Wellington event on Friday, April 24, along the Town Center Promenade. The successful event drew nearly 1,000 attendees, along with 42 participating restaurants. This year’s lineup included a mix of popular franchises and locally owned favorites.
A popular spring event, Taste of Wellington brought the community together for an evening packed with delicious food, refreshing beverages, live music and other entertainment.
The event originated last year to give Wellington area residents the opportunity to sample dishes from the village’s thriving restaurant industry.
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The event was created not only to promote local restaurants, but to give residents the opportunity to explore new dining options, while enjoying their long-time favorites. This year’s event provided a vibrant and engaging experience for everyone in attendance.
Upon arrival, guests waited to check in, excited to begin their food-tasting journey. Each restaurant had its own tent set up along the walkway offering featured dishes. Guests received a customized tote bag with a booklet listing all participating restaurants, a tumbler and complimentary drink tickets. Guests utilized the booklet to mark each spot they sampled food from. This encouraged people to visit each tent and try all the food offered.
Throughout the evening, guests strolled along the promenade to savor the delicious food, filling their palette with a variety of different flavors, including sweet treats, mild bites, savory dishes and some with a kick of spice. The community happily engaged with one another, as restaurant owners were able to catch up with loyal customers, while introducing their menus and specialties to potential new customers.
Attendees were impressed by the variety of participating restaurants. Each brought something unique and enjoyable. The diverse food options gave attendees the opportunity to taste many different flavors and culinary styles, creating an exciting and unforgettable experience.
As guests sampled the selection of food, they got to kick back, relax and enjoy live music throughout the evening. Tesla-sponsored water stations were present to ensure that guests kept cool and stayed hydrated. In addition, there was a raffle where one lucky winner took home the grand prize: a Cooper’s Cares Magnum Package, presented by Cooper’s Hawk. The bundle included a bottle of wine, a complimentary wine tasting for two and a three-month gift membership to Cooper’s Hawk Wine Club.
Taste of Wellington also proved to be a family-friendly event, as there were activities for attendees of all ages. Children were able to enjoy bounce houses and face painting. Henna artists were also present to showcase their designs to children and adults. All the entertainment created a lively and festive atmosphere that everyone was able to enjoy.
Residents Jane and Gunars Mansons shared how much events like Taste of Wellington really mean to the community.
“There is nothing like the community getting together, and for all ages, to be able to have your family in such a wholesome environment, to be able to enjoy a night out and feel safe,” Jane Mansons said. “I think Wellington does the best job. Community is everything, and I think more communities around us need to do what Wellington does for us.”
With an impressive selection of food, live entertainment and the scenic waterfront views, Taste of Wellington set the tone for what makes Wellington so radiant. It was a celebration of culture and community pride, as the event brought people together to share a memorable experience.
The participating restaurants included: Agliolio, Anna Bakes, Bolay, Britts Bake Shop, Carmela Coffee, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Chamoy Ice Cream, Cheese Lover’s Kitchen, Chick-fil-A, Chicken Salad Chick, Christy’s Bakery, Cooper’s Hawk, CR Chicks, Cumbres Coffee, Domenic’s & Vinnie’s of Palm Beach, Dunkin’, El Bodegon, Field of Greens, Foxtail Coffee, Fresh Pita Club, Georgia Mae’s, Happy Day Creations, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Lemongrass, Lewis Prime, Maple Street Biscuit Company, Olive Garden, PDQ, Pei Wei, Penalty Box, Piece of Pizza, Rita’s, Riptide Kava, She Jay’s, Skillets, Smoothie King, Spiro’s Taverna, Starbucks, the Poké Company, Tijuana Flats, Trader Joe’s and Vicky Bakery.
Taste of Wellington was sponsored by Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, AT&T, Wellington Florist, the Safety Council of Palm Beach, Guardians Credit Union, Tesla and Wellington Regional Medical Center.
Dining and Cooking