Taste of Elmwood Park celebrates 40 years

Since 1985 this is the food festival that never stops pulling out all the stops. Elmwood Park spreads a red checkered table cloth out so you can dig in Aug. 7 to 10 in Central Park, at the corner of Fullerton and 75th Street. 

No one features food, family and fun like this village! Thursday and Friday night and Saturday and Sunday noon to night there will be kids’ games, arts & crafts and rides. 

There is no entry fee into the park. Food vendors accept cash and drink tickets can be purchased at each side of the park. 

The food is varied and amazing. From pretzels to toasted ravioli, pizza to sandwiches, sweet corn and meatballs there are no lack of options. Go around the world with samosas, burgers, nachos, tamales, egg rolls and tacos. Then cool off and sweeten the day with Italian ice, slushies, iced coffee, tiramisu, biscotti, gelato and cannoli.

Twenty-nine food vendors will stack your plate high with all the goodies. In alphabetical order: 4 Jokers Restaurant, Armands, Ava’s Italian Ice, Big Daddy Donuts, Captuto’s Fresh Markets, Circle Tavern, Donny G’s, Elmcrest Banquets, Fit to Be Fried, Grecian Kitchen, Gringo & Blondie Taqueria, Shwings, Jimmy’s Red Hots, Johnnie’s Italian Beer, Maria’s Mexican Restaurant, Massa Café Italiano, Massa Piazza Company, New Star, Old World Pizza, Pompei, Sergio’s Seafood, Rosebud Restaurants, Russell’s Barbeque, Sicilian Bakery, Strawberry Slushies, Tacos 2 Go, Top Butcher, Tri Café, Union Tap

In the Taste Lounge, you can wind down with a cocktail until you get your second wind or get your legs pumping to the live DJs spinning every evening. You must be 21 years old to enter the lounge area.

Fitness in the park! Come to Central Park with your gym shoes on. Aug. 9 at 11:30 a.m. you can pre-work off those calories by taking a fitness class, free from Renew Studios. The next day get ready for deliciousness again with The Barre Studio at 9:30 a.m.

The Mayor’s Cup bocce tournament and the annual meatball eating contest is on Aug. 9 at 4 p.m.

Live music each night will keep the whole park rocking. Thursday Ocean’s Rat Pack kicks it off with the classics – Sinatra, Martin and Davis – at 6 p.m. The Shagadelics come on after to disco the night away. Friday the music starts with Drawers, HiFi Superstar, then the Lounge Puppets. Saturday keeps the fun pumping starting at 1 p.m. with Triangle Park, The Wayouts, The Gingers: Redheads that Rock, Anthem’s Grand Illusion and Wedding Banned. Sunday at noon the Sam Fazio Quintet starts the tunes, followed by Ginger Road, One of the Boyzz, iPop and Mike & Joe.  

Parking is limited so public transit is encouraged. The Metra stop at 75th and Grand Avenue is directly in front of Central Park. Parking shuttles will run from John Mills School, Parks and Recreation Center, and Elm Middle School.