Taste of the Coeur d’Alenes

CDA Press, August 2005

The crowd is here and the art of good eating starts at the 18th annual A Taste of the Coeur d’Alenes being held in the Coeur d’Alene City Park on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 5, 6 and 7, from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, with gastronomic pleasures to tantalize your taste buds at 25 food booths.
But the festival doesn’t stop at the outstanding selection of cuisine from vendors as far away as Missouri. Come and meet more than 100 artists from Idaho, Washington, Montana, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, California, Oklahoma, Utah and Hawaii, who will be in the park showcasing a diversified and awesome display of collectible art.
Enjoy the rhythmic sounds of professional music groups with a variety of jazz, big band, Dixieland, and blues music monitored by Ford Audio.

The Coeur d’Alene Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) sponsored the first A Taste of the Coeur d’Alenes as a “shoulder season” event to encourage tourists to visit the city on the Memorial Day weekend. The first “Taste” started in 1988 in the small Sherman Park, with almost every restaurant downtown taking part, including Jimmy D’s, Cricket’s, Rustler’s Roost, Frontier Pies, the Iron Horse, Chinese Gardens, Third Street Cantina, Papino’s, Domino’s Pizza, Spats, Baskin Robbins and The Wagon. The food was delicious and the event was fun, but challenges were present, according to Wyn Gregory, who worked with the CVB to promote the event.

It would be necessary to have more space and electrical power for participating restaurants the next year and the CVB was facing major changes, which dictated that the event must find a way to be self-perpetuating. The Washington Water Power Company sponsored the cost of electrical boards and the Gregory family guaranteed payment of signed contracts for locations and products.

In 1989, “Taste” was set up in the parking lot of the Coeur d’Alene Mall, with Beverly’s and Dockside joining the 12 original restaurants. It rained and rained, but everyone ate great food. Several months after that rainy day in 1989, Gregory contacted Doug Eastwood at the City Parks Department about moving A Taste of the Coeur d’Alenes to City Park. Gregory and Eastwood received an OK from the city council and the event found its future home. As a result, volunteers and key people were invited to attend a meeting for the formation of The Coeur d’Alene Festivals Committee, a nonprofit organization. In 1991, the committee encouraged North Idaho artists to display their art at the event.

In the spring of 1994, Suzanne Kaderka, director o the Coeur d’Alene Downtown Merchants Association, and Dennis Deming, chair of the Street Fair, invited A Taste of the Coeur d’Alenes to join them on the first weekend of August as a three-day event. All agreed this would be a most beneficial move for the festival. At that time, musical groups and entertainment were added to the event.
Board members and volunteers are not paid, instead generated funds pay for event expenses and help produce the next year’s event. The Committee also funds a $2,000 scholarship at North Idaho College.

This years event is sponsored by Pepsi-Cola Company, KVNI, Rock 94 1/2, County Telephone and Data Service, The Coeur d’Alene Press, and The Coeur d’Alene Festivals Committee, Local 105 of the American Federation of Musician’s. Admission is free.