Taste Of Toccoa Is Saturday
One of Toccoa’s premier events celebrates its 25th year this year as the annual Taste of Toccoa returns Saturday to Downtown Toccoa. Toccoa Main Street Program Coordinator Sharon Crosby says this one will be special. “It is.” Says Crosby; “imagine a popular event going over that period of time. This year is going to be different. It will be on Saturday instead of Thursday afternoon and it will be 11-2 in the same place down Doyle Street, but this year we are partnering together with the City of Toccoa Classic Car Show Fundraiser for Relay for Life and they will be situated on Doyle Street from Alexander Street up to Sage Street.”
The Currahee Guild’s Spring Art Show will also be on Doyle Street on Saturday so there will be a full day of events. For those visitors new to Taste of Toccoa, Crosby explains how it works.” Businesses here in Toccoa/Stephens County will be having booths selling their famous dishes and most of them will have smaller portions to allow you to go to two or three booths. As in years past, we have the token system. We’ll have 4 booths set up throughout the festival where you can purchase tokens for 50 cents each and that is what you use to buy your food and entertainment for the children.”
Each year eight awards are given to the participating restaurants in several different categories: Most Authentic Representation of Business, the Extra Mile Award, the Taste Award for Desserts, the Taste Award for a Menu Item, and the top three restaurants for the Most Tokens Collected. Visitors to the Taste of Toccoa will also have the opportunity to decide an award winner, and get something back in return. “Every year we have a People’s Choice Award where you can vote for your favorite food item and that restaurant will receive an award they can hang in their business.” Says Crosby; “we invite everybody to come and vote at the WNEG tent, and when you vote this year, you will receive a water bottle to remember the event.”
Visitors can also enjoy the entertainment stage. The schedule is as follows: 11A.M.-Noon Precious Minutes Martial Arts, Noon- 1 P.M. Rhythm Academy, and 1 P.M.-2 P.M. Pianist and keyboardist Ryan Stinson.
Through the years the event has been successful on Thursday evening so why Saturday? “We had a lot of people ask us about moving to Saturday.” Says Crosby; “parents felt like it would be better for the kids and some restaurants felt it would be easier with staffing issues. So we thought, well, since this is the 25th anniversary, this might be a nice time to try.”
Taste of Toccoa is this Saturday from 11 A.M-2 P.M. in Historic Downtown Toccoa.