This weekend the Greater Starkville Development Partnership and Starkville Area Arts Council will offer people a chance to enjoy a Taste of Starkville. For the seventh year in a row, Taste of Starkville will provide neighborhood restaurants with the chance to showcase their eats, as well as an opportunity for festival goers to try local flavor.
Over 20 local restaurants, as well as other food vendors, will line University Drive during the festival. Most of the food will cost about $5. Some of the participants include Bulldog Deli, The Little Dooey, The Grill, The International Bistro and Harvey’s. Many of the new restaurants in Starkville such as Roxie’s, The Veranda, Peter O’Patricks and The University Pub will also participate.
Most of the restaurants will be selling items found on their menus, but several are having their chefs create new dishes, while other food vendors will be selling festival staples like funnel cake and cotton candy.
There will also be over 50 art vendors at the Cotton District Arts Festival, a number that has almost doubled from last year’s festival.
“The festival grows every year. Last year over 8,000 attended and we hope to get up to 10,000 this year,” said Armaruth de la Cruz, vice president of tourism.
A $50 prize will be awarded for best food booth as well as for best food, and a $100 prize for best of show. Winners will be published in both the Partnership newsletter and in Starkville Daily News. Last years winners include, Richard’s Bakery and Deli for Best Food Booth, and City Bagel CafZ won for Best Food.
“We are lucky to work with these organizations to help improve quality for Starkville residents and to bring in visitors to help our economy by bringing in those outside dollars,” de la Cruz said.
Musical entertainment will begin at 9:30 a.m. Bands will be playing on three stages set up throughout the Cotton District. Headlining the Cotton District Arts Festival is the Puerto Rican Rum Drunks. They will begin playing at 1:30 p.m. Other local favorites, such as Nash Street, will also be playing at the festival.
“I’ve never attended the festival before but I am looking forward to going and having a good time this year,” said MSU senior Blair Owens.
The festival is an opportunity to showcase Starkville talent in many ways and it caters to students, Starkville residents and those in surrounding areas, as well as tourists according to de la Cruz.
The Taste of Starkville will be held Saturday in conjunction with the Cotton District Arts Festival. The Arts Festival will begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 5 p.m., and the Taste of Starkville will be serving food from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information about the Cotton District Arts Festival, the Taste of Starkville and other events call the Greater Starkville Development Partnership office at 323-3322 or visit them on the web at www.starkville.org.