What's Cookin' in Wallingford returns Saturday, Sept. 9, after a one-year absence.
The festival will feature $3 food samples from 16 restaurants, sidewalk sales from many stores and two stages of live music. The sidewalk sale will run from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and the food is available from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. The festival will feature stores spanning all the way from Stone Way North to Latona Avenue NE.
Cindy Payne, a promoter who has worked with Ballard Seafoodfest, said the festival is primarily a community event for residents of Wallingford. It also seeks to promote businesses in the neighborhood. A portion of the proceeds is being donated to Family Works, a food bank and family center.
Dave Harris, owner of Ebb & Flow (formerly the Jitterbug), 2114 N. 45th St., said that he hopes people "show up and support Wallingford. It is changing."
He emphasized that Wallingford is full of new businesses, new condominiums, new residents-"new everything."
The Ebb & Flow will be featuring fish tacos.
Eugenia Hirtos, the owner of Golden Olive, a Mediterranean restaurant, 1712 N. 45th St., hopes to see a lot of people attend the event. She will be featuring a variety of traditional Greek foods and hopes to expose many people to her new business.
Retail specials
Retail stores are also presenting specials for those who attend the festival.
Four Legs Good, a pet supply store, 4411 Wallingford Ave. N., will have locally made dog treats available for people's pets. Benita Veskimets, the store's owner, said that her shop specializes in "human quality" and "healthy" pet foods. She playfully encourages not only the pets, but the owners, to try her samples.
Bottleworks, a specialty beer store, 1710 N. 45th St., will be featuring a Belgian chocolate and beer tasting.
"Be sure to step on in and educate your mind and palette," said Kevin Sullivan, the store's assistant manager. He said that the store will have staff members ready to answer questions about the store's brews.
He hopes that people who attend the event may "turn a new leaf" in their appreciation for beers.
Music at QFC
Live music will be featured in the QFC parking lot on 45th Avenue North and at the Wallingford Community Center, located across the street.
Performances on the QFC stage include Paul Benoit, a local singer/songwriter, at 4:30 p.m., and the Red Note at 7:30 p.m.
Performing in between the two acts is Off Task, which features members of the Garfield High School Jazz Band. Payne noted the importance of having the act play since Garfield High School is being temporarily housed in Wallingford's former Lincoln High School as Garfield is renovated.
Payne, whose promotions company Payneless Promotions, is working with What's Cookin' in Wallingford and is looking forward to the festival. She is looking forward to "rebuilding" the event after its one-year absence.
Though the festival is designed for pedestrians, no streets will be shut down.
"You want to get people to drive through," Payne said. "You want people to stop."
Payne is optimistic about the festival. She said that the planning committee has "been spectacular" and that they have a genuine "passion for the community."
Bottleworks' Sullivan remembers the event from two years ago as being successful and said that What's Cookin' in Wallingford "definitely helps the neighborhood."
Benita Veskimets is also looking forward to Saturday. She said the event is a good opportunity for "people in Wallingford to come out and enjoy the neighborhood."[[In-content Ad]]