AMHERST — The Taste of Amherst will go on as usual next month for the 27th time after the Amherst Business Improvement District agreed to take over its administration.
With the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce becoming an entirely volunteer organization this year, dismissing its professional staff, the continuation of the food festival depended on another entity running it.
“The Taste would have gone dark this year if not for the staff at the BID stepping up and agreeing to help make it happen,” said Amherst BID Vice President Jerry Jolly, whose family runs The Pub and Rafter’s restaurants. Jolly is also a founder of the Taste.
Sarah la Cour, executive director of the Amherst BID, said the BID is responsible for getting packets of information to participating restaurants and hiring security in advance of the event, which will be on the Town Common from June 14 to 17.
“All administration is coming out of the BID,” la Cour said.
The BID also returned to radio station WRSI 93.9 The River to book the musical acts after live performances were intentionally scaled back last year.
The long-standing Taste of Amherst Committee remains in place and will continue to provide oversight and overall management of the event.
Another event, which has been held even longer on the Town Common will also continue this spring, as the Amherst Rotary Club puts on the Amherst Rotary Town Fair.
The fair will be expanded to five days, running from May 23 to 28. On the first two days, the fair will be open from 3 to 10 p.m., then Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day the fair runs from noon to 10 p.m., and on Memorial Day from noon to 5 p.m.
As usual, the fair will include numerous amusement rides and carnival activities, fair foods and various drinks.
The fair is a fundraiser for the Rotary, which meets Thursdays at 30 Boltwood. Proceeds from the community fair go to scholarships, assisting local nonprofits with small grants and the larger Community Grant, which ranges from $25,000 to $50,000.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
