Eve 6, more bands and more food to headline Taste of Highland Park this weekend

From new musical headliners to an expanded lineup of food and beverage vendors, this year’s Taste of Highland Park has more to offer.

The free two-day festival — which runs from 5-10 p.m. Friday, June 19, and 3-10 p.m. Saturday, June 20 — will showcase diverse entertainment and cuisine for all ages and continues its longstanding role in attracting visitors and boosting the local economy.

It is the Taste’s fourth year along Central Avenue, between Second Street and St. Johns Avenue, and in Port Clinton Square, 600 Central Ave., where attendees can enjoy more than a dozen vendors, while listening to some live performances across multiple genres and generations.

“It’s a great opportunity for neighbors to kick off summer in the heart of the community, continuing our tradition of creating meaningful experiences and lasting memories for generations of Highland Park families,” Mayor Nancy Rotering said in an email to The Record.

If Diane Larson, marketing coordinator for the Taste, were to describe the Taste this year in three words, “diverse, energetic and flavorful,” come to her mind. This year, Larson is expecting between 2,000 to 2,500 attendees each night at the Taste for a total of around 5,000 visitors.

The Taste’s wide selection of restaurants showcases what makes Highland Park unique, Larson said.

New local vendors include Highland Bar & Kitchen, Las Torres Mexican Restaurant and Harmony Coffee Bar, to go along with returnees like Ami, BWB Shakes, Cafe Dasha, DeNucci’s, Indus Progressive Indian, Judy’s Pizzeria, Lynfred Winery, Michael’s Grill & Salad Bar, Steep Ravine Brewing Company and Tamales Mexican Restaurant.

To go along with the food and beverage scene, the Taste will offer an entertainment lineup headlined by Eve 6, a popular alternative rock band from the 1990s and early 2000s. All American Throwbacks will share the spotlight, and other performers are: Highland Park Players, ALATS Dance Company, MC4, Gospel Friends, Rumor Hazit, Mary Macaroni, Istvan & His Imaginary Band, Uptown Music Theater, and special Bitter Jester Festival alum Mike & Joe.

Larson said community feedback shaped this year’s entertainment lineup.

“We heard that a lot of people wanted to hear bands that were popular when they were young on the radio,” Larson said. “So, we had overwhelming comments from older and younger community members that they wanted to see bands like Eve 6 or All American Rejects, bands that were popular in the late ’90s to early 2000s, so that’s what we went with this year.”

The Taste also has other new features shaped by community feedback, such as:
• A large climate-controlled festival tent, aimed to provide relief from the sun; and
• Extended hours on Saturday – from 3 to 10 p.m. instead of 5 to 10 p.m., with the 3-5 p.m. block focused on children’s entertainment.

For families, there will be appearances from Ariel from “The Little Mermaid” and Jesse and Woody from the “Toy Story” series, in addition to face painters, airbrush tattoo artists and gaming stations.

The Taste continues to have an impact in multiple categories for Highland Park, Rotering said.

“At the Taste you can see longtime Highland Park neighbors dancing alongside visitors who are just discovering all that Highland Park has to offer,” Rotering wrote. “Showcasing our business community, especially the local restaurants that patrons can’t find anywhere else, through exciting events is one of the marketing strategies identified in our Business Development Strategic Plan.”

She added, “Sustaining and growing our local economy requires engaging residents and attracting visitors alike, and special events like the Taste are a great way to help regional visitors who can easily access Highland Park, especially by train, discover reasons to return.”

This year, Larson hopes the community will have a “wonderful” time and experience something “unique,” that they can’t find anywhere else in the North Shore, leaving them wanting more.

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