Event History
Born in the early 80’s in Charlottesville, Taste This! started its life as an event called Taste of the Nation. This event was part of an international hunger relief organization called Share Our Strength. The event ran under that name until 2005. After a year hiatus, three of the long-time committee members, myself, Christine Iezzi and Cynthia Smith, revived the event under a different name and Taste This! came to be. An important difference that distinguishes the new event from the old is that 100% of the money raised from the event benefits LOCAL hunger relief organizations. Also, with the absence of the parent organization, the overhead expenses involved in to putting on the event are dramatically reduced, and are all underwritten locally.
Over the years, Taste This! has benefited such local organizations as the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, The Salvation Army Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels and the Emergency Food Bank. Our criteria for beneficiary selection is that they be local and be a hunger relief organization. My rough estimate is that Taste This! has raised well over $300,000 for local hunger relief efforts. We have had wonderful corporate support over the years from fine local businesses such as: Kroger, Century Link (formerly Embarq), Better Living, Virginia National Bank, BB&T, Pepsi, Northwestern Mutual, Wade Apartments, Woodard Properties, The Charlottesville Newsplex and the Charlottesville Radio Group. In addition we have had the all-important support of our LOCAL restaurants who prepare, at their expense, a fabulous array of menu items as well as Virginia Eagle (formerly J.W. Sieg), and Market Street Wineshops, both of whom help us with beverage sampling.
I hope you will come be a part of this wonderful long running event. It truly is Charlottesville’s Premier Food and Wine tasting Event!
