The award-winning Charter Taste of St. Louis at Soldiers’ Memorial blocked off Market Street from 12th to 15th to showcase all that St. Louis has to offer in the way of food, art, music, and culture! The event this weekend had something for everyone and drew a huge crowd. Food connoisseurs had it made as they strolled the streets of downtown St. Louis sampling foods of all sorts, listening to music, and stopping for some fun activities along the way. Many were showered with more free product samples than they could keep track of. 5-hour Energy and Tums Freshers were in abundant supply.
The Taste featured over 45 St. Louis area restaurants from Sauce Magazine’s Restaurant Row. Patrons scoured the booths to decide what confection they desired. Before finishing the first bite of one item, they’d spot another which looked just as delectable. With so many different options, it was hard not to try them all! From ice cream to fish tacos, there was something for everyone.
The Chef Battle Royale culinary competition presented by Stella Artois featured eight of the St. Louis area’s top chefs including Jason Tilford, Jack MacMurray, Chris Lee, Elizabeth Schuster, Kevin Taylor, Carl Hazel, Brian Hale, and returning champ Wes Johnson. The chefs participated in seven 45 minute head-to-head battles and Chris Lee took home the trophy! Mark DeCarlo was even there to host the competition, sign his book, "A Fork on the Road: 400 Cities, 1 Stomach" and to give away a $7,500 Caribbean vacation! The show at the Bunge Culinary Stage was a fan favorite.
Charter Taste of St. Louis not only sported food, but music as well. Charter had downtown St. Louis bumping with three stages providing musical entertainment all weekend long. There were even shows by The All-American Rejects, Macy Gray, and Taj Mahal. Among the lineup of impressive artists was Divine Sorrow who by winning the Taste of St. Louis Battle of the Bands contest got the opportunity to open for The All-American Rejects.
Taste of St. Louis lived up to expectation as the best family festival. It was the ultimate family event helping parents maximize their time with their children while enjoying fun-filled family adventures. This year’s Kid City included a dairy farm where kids could learn to milk a cow, a life-size city scape which taught kids how to safely navigate city streets, a giant carousel bounce, and a T-ball cage. Adults enjoyed mingling in the Art and Wine Walk. Many were pleasantly surprised by the unique display of fabulous pieces of art from local and national artists while reveling in the wine. Guests chose from over 100 different wines from all over the world.
Everyone had a great time at the Charter Taste of St. Louis. Some were already talking about what’s in store for next year! Click here to view the party pics.
