Posted: 6/20/08 Section: News

Attendees of the Taste of Champaign browse booths and sample food from Champaign and Urbana vendors on Sunday, June 24, 2007. This year's Taste will be "greener" than ever, and attendees who bike instead of drive will get a free beverage.

Don't let the temperatures of the last few weeks fool you: Summer officially begins Friday, and this year, the Taste of Champaign-Urbana kicks off with the new season.

The 38th edition of the Taste, conducted by the Champaign Park District, will run from Friday through Sunday at West Side Park in Champaign. The event will feature live concerts, family entertainment, local artists and the area's best food showcased by 26 vendors from Champaign-Urbana.

About 50,000 people are expected to attend the Taste. Admission is free, and tickets used for food and beverages will cost $5 for a booklet of nine tickets.

All proceeds from the event will go to the Champaign Park District's Youth Scholarship Fund, which benefits local day camps for economically disadvantaged children.

Laura Auteberry, marketing and development director for the Champaign Park District, said the festival typically raises about $20,000 for the fund.

"This is a wonderful, fun event for the whole family with lots of great food and entertainment, but it is an event for a cause," Auteberry said.

Additionally, this year's Taste will be geared toward being environmentally friendly.

"Everything's been printed on recycled paper, we're going to have additional recycle bins and put information out there on the importance of recycling," Auteberry said.

She added that the Champaign Park District is working to reduce traffic and promote an Earth-friendly agenda by encouraging locals to use pedal power. Attendees who ride their bikes and use the festival's bike corral will receive a coupon for a free beverage.

While the Taste is scheduled to feature entertainment targeted at virtually every demographic, one particular group excluded from the festivities will be pets. Auteberry stressed that animals will not be allowed on the West Side Park grounds under an ordinance establishing certain city events, including the Taste, as pet-free areas.

"There's so many people, and the possibility of an animal getting stepped on and reacting, or with the fact that you've got kids out there eating food at eye-level with dogs, there's too many possibilities for things to go wrong, for pets and the people," Auteberry said.

So leave your pets - and hopefully your car - at home this weekend.

"It's going to be beautiful weather, so we want everyone to come and enjoy the weekend, and don't bother cooking," Auteberry said.

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