Food has a way of bringing a community together, and that is exactly what Downtown Iowa City did on Aug. 27 when the organization held its annual Taste of Iowa City event. The day had previously promised afternoon storms, but with the rain no longer a threat, people could enjoy the nice weather alongside the good food.
Over 40 local restaurants and venues set up their tents in Iowa City to showcase their culinary delights. Restaurants took this opportunity to serve their fan favorites or experiment with new flavors that they had never tried before.
From a piping hot, cheesy Conglomeration sandwich from Micky’s Irish Pub to a cold, creamy, refreshing mango lassi from Masala Indian, no matter what you were looking for, there was something for everyone.
In addition to the scents of good food, the air was filled with a good energy as attendees laughed, talked, ate, and danced to the music of local bands. Although the event lasted four hours, the energy never died. No one was unhappy except when, of course, restaurants ran out of food.
Iowa City Downtown District Director of Special Events Katie Carpenter spoke about the festival’s history and what they wanted visitors to take away from the event.
“It really started as a way to introduce students to downtown and to welcome them to their new home,” Carpenter said.
Attendee and first-year student Elizabeth Schulte agreed with this statement.
“I think [this event] is good for people who are new to Iowa City to go out and try new places,” Schulte said.
Courtesy of the University of Iowa Campus Activities Board, students could present their student ID and receive five free tickets. These tickets served as the currency students used to get samples.
If they needed more tickets, students and attendees alike could purchase additional tickets in sleeves of five for five dollars.
“It’s really affordable,” first-time attendee Charles Walter said.
While his employees replenished the trays of food, The Dandy Lion’s co-owner Thomas Connolly shared his business’s history with the event. Having participated in this event since its conception, The Dandy Lion has continued to participate for the fun of it.
“It’s great to see people out and enjoying the beautiful weather and delicious food,” Connolly said.
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The Dandy Lion’s fare consisted of riblet sliders, southern-style pierogis filled with corn, mashed potatoes, chicken, a meatless alternative, and gravy. Connolly noted this was outside of The Dandy Lion’s typical food.
“We try to do innovative things that we don’t do as often because this is a showcase for your restaurant and things you can do,” Connolly said.
Second-time attendee L’Engle Charis-Carlson, who is a vegetarian, was pleased with the amount of vegan/vegetarian dishes offered at the event. Of the 43 restaurants participating, 27 offered vegetarian-friendly options.
“There are a lot of options for vegetarians, so it’ll be fun to go check them out,” she said.
Local pizzeria Basta also tried something new by serving Detroit-style slices of their classic pepperoni and margarita pizza. Their trays were consistently having to be replenished as people milled around the sidewalk waiting for slices.
Basta Bar Manager Mackenzie Ties has been working the event for Basta for three years, and shared why they continue to participate.
“We always decide to do it to get out and have the new freshman and the community know about us and our pizza.” Ties said.
At the end of the day, Carpenter hoped that people would take away how great a community Iowa City has.
“Downtown Iowa City is the living room of the university, and it’s a place where both students and locals come together,” Carpenter said. “Whether you’re a little kid or you’ve been here for years and years, everyone can get something out of being downtown.”