Taste of Durham 2009

Being that it's Thursday afternoon, it's time to start thinking about the weekend. The marquee event this Saturday is the 2009 Taste of Durham.

Taste of Durham is a festival celebrating things we all love, including food, live music, entertainment and art. Here's the breakdown:

Music:

Included in the performance showcase:

• The TROSA Band
  
• Johnnie Foster
  
• Cool John Ferguson
  
• Nufsed
  
• Alicia Grant

On the main stage:

• Elmwood - A genre bending group from Nashville, combining the sounds of jazz, Caribbean, bluegrass and funk.
• John Brown and the Groove Shop Band - This group has a full horn section, full rythm section, and multiple singers, creating a powerful sound of funk, rhythm and blues.
  
• Locos Por Juana - Heralded as "Miami's Best Latin Band"

On the international dance stage:

• Salsa 4 U
  
• Inis Cairde School of Irish Dance
  
• Mambo Dinamico Dance Company/Cobo Brothers
  
• Jack Wolf: Cajan & Creole Fun
  
• Hannan Sultan Bellydance
  
• Flamenco Carolina
  
• Singing for Everyone
  
• NC Triangle Steppers Chicago Style Steppin Demonstration
  
• International Dance Connection/Polynesia
  

Food and Drink:

There will be both a wine tasting pavilion and a beer tasting garden, along with a "goodlife demonstrations" area where local chefs will demonstrate their culinary talents, along with tips on entertaining and livin' it up.

There will also be a number of well know restaurants that will be offering up samples of their fare. That list includes:

• Baba Ghannouj Mediterranean Bistro
  
• Bocci Trattoria & Pizzeria
  
• Don Rio's Southwest Catering
  
• Carmen's Cuban Cafe & Lounge
  
• Catering: Abrams' BBQ & Seafood
  
• Cold Stone Creamery
  
• Joe Van Gogh, Inc.
  
• The Mad Popper
  
• The Melting Pot
  
• Moe's Southwest Grill
  
• Nikos Taverna
  
• Noodles & Company
  
• Pomodoro Italian Kitchen
  
• Rita's
  
• Serena Restaurant & Bar
  
• Tamarind India Bistro
  
• Vita
  

Arts & Entertainment:

The "art is alive" exhibit will feature a variety of both local and international artists and artwork.

Entertainment that can be enjoyed with your young ones:

• Too Much Fun Zone - will feature a carousel, among other rides
• Snow My Yard - making snow and ice scupltures
• Singing for Everyone - sing-a-long session
• Face Painting
• Traditional India Henna Painting
  
• Funtastic Faces Characture

Admission is $4 in advance, $6 at the event. The festival will be going on all day long, 11 AM - 7 PM, down near the intersection of I40 and Page Rd in Imperial Center.  For those who live downtown or want to support public transit, the event is right near the new TTA Regional Transit Center, which services routes that run through both Durham and Raleigh.