AMHERST — The Taste of Amherst, celebrating its 26th year, is returning to its roots of focusing on food and drink.
While music will continue to be a staple of the annual event, which features cuisine from 21 restaurants and activities for children and adults, Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tim O’Brien said the live performers are being scaled back.
“We decided instead of having 10 different acts, we would put all our eggs in one basket,” O’Brien said.
Rather than a series of bands playing over the course of the four days, beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday and continuing at noon the next three days, there will be just two performers.
On the first evening, Ted Hamel will do songs from the 1950s and 1960s in what the chamber is calling “oldies night.” Trailer Trash takes the stage the next two nights, June 16 and 17, performing country pop covers.
The Taste will also have a decorated bike parade for children that coincides with Father’s Day on Sunday.
This event is for children ages 3 to 14. Registration will take place at 11 a.m. on the North Common and the parade will go around the perimeter of the Town Common 20 minutes later.
“We were looking for something that families could enjoy together,” O’Brien said.
Children will be encouraged to decorate their bikes and dress in costume, with participants receiving their choice of a free fresh apple or cider doughnut from Atkins Farm Country Market.
Most of the Amherst area restaurants that participated in 2016 are returning. Newcomers this year include Bart’s Ice Cream, Glazed Doughnut Shop, Formosa Chinese Restaurant, Gohyang Korean Restaurant and Malek Shawarma Mediterranean Restaurant.
O’Brien said even with changing state fire code regulations related to fryolators, fried food will be available from several of the vendors.
Perennial activities will include the Chowdown Challenge eating competition, a series of cooking demonstrations by local restaurants hosted by Chef Bill, martial arts demonstrations by Shaolin Kung Fu Center, wagon rides with horses from Barry Roberts’s Muddy Brook Farm, Lupa Zoo’s animals and an obstacle course and a bounce house.
On Father’s Day, balloon entertainer Ed Popielarczyk will be featured after the parade.
Like previous years, O’Brien said the event strives to be green and sustainable, with the goal of having 100 percent of containers, utensils and food waste composted.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.