Many well-loved events have been canceled or postponed this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Taste of Muskegon is instead changing its format for the festival's 14th year, to ensure the community can still enjoy delicious local eats.
Complying with social distancing guidelines, the festival, produced by the city of Muskegon, will be held virtually and utilize the takeout service of restaurants and food trucks. To make it possible for virtual attendees to "visit" several restaurants, the festival will be extended to 10 days and take place June 19 – 28, 2020.
Taste of Muskegon's goal is to showcase the excellence of the city's culinary opportunities. This year, locally owned restaurants that have taken an especially hard hit could use the spotlight.
Unwilling to cancel the festival when the restaurants need it most, the city of Muskegon sought to find a way to safely accomplish the event's mission.
"We love our food trucks and restaurants, our community, and this festival," said Ann Meisch, Director of Taste of Muskegon. "When everything is getting canceled, we had to find a way to make Taste happen."
This, Meisch said, is something everyone needs.
"We all need an event to look forward to that is safe to participate in. While we won't be in the park together, we are looking at ways to utilize social media to bring the community virtually together for the festival."
Local restaurants participating in the festival will prepare a Taste menu of up to four feature items. Virtual attendees will be able to order a full portion of any featured item or a Taste flight with bite-size portions of the full Taste menu—all available as carryout.
To learn more about the restaurants and events of Taste of Muskegon 2020, visit Taste of Muskegon.
Written by Sarah Suydam, Staff Writer for West Michigan Woman.
Photos courtesy of Taste of Muskegon.
