Eclectic dishes, 90 vendors and 300-plus menu items: Taste of Calgary is back | CBC News

If you’ve been longing to try a variety of dishes and treat your taste buds to new food options, you’re in luck as it’s officially time for the Taste of Calgary festival.

The annual event, now in its 26th edition, has partnered with 90 local restaurants, food trucks, breweries and distilleries this year and will be held at a downtown parking lot on Eight Street S.W.

Attendees can choose from more than 300 menu items and experiment with different cuisines including but not limited to Korean, Brazilian, Spanish, Middle-Eastern, Indian, Mexican, Japanese and more.

“You can really eat internationally at Taste of Calgary,” said Jennifer Rempel, event producer at Taste of Calgary in an interview on The Homestretch.

“We have everything from Korean to fresh shucked oysters from Big Fish to a lobster roll from Blowers and Grafton to a mango on a stick from Que Chivo.”

A bigger space

Taste of Calgary is taking place on a much larger scale this year thanks to feedback received from previous editions of the festival and is scheduled to take place between August 3 and 7.

“We’ve expanded into the green space next to the river pathway, which is a really nice amenity to have from the hot parking lot,” Rempel said.

“So we have a place where people can just sit down and have a picnic and sample food and have a more relaxed experience.”

According to Rempel, the festival is equipped to accommodate “almost double the amount of people” this year and is expected to host around 25,000 attendees.

Admission to the pet-friendly festival is free and participants can choose to drop in anytime between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m.

The event has embraced a paperless approach this year, according to Rempel, who said that attendees can purchase a ‘taste pass’ and use it like a gift card while sampling different dishes or pay for a food item on the spot.

LISTEN | Jennifer Rempel talks about the Taste of Calgary:

Rempel believes that the festival is a fun way to get acquainted with new restaurants and step out of your comfort zone.

It’s also a solid platform for local eateries looking to attract new customers.

“It’s a great opportunity for restaurants to get exposure to new crowds,” Rempel said.

“Hopefully, something that you taste at Taste of Calgary will make you go back to that restaurant and think about them again.”

The cultural significance of the event cannot be underestimated, according to Rempel, who said that the event showcases “the depth of our culture” through a plethora of delectable dishes.

“I love to talk to people about how all of our cultures throughout show their folkloric tendencies through food,” she said.

“This is a way to really feel a cultural experience through everyone’s food preparation.”