On Saturday, Oct. 8, the 36th annual Taste of Our Towns (TOOT) festival will bring more than 5,000 visitors to downtown Lewisburg. TOOT is a fundraiser for Carnegie Hall, a cultural institution of the Greenbrier Valley/New River region that brings arts education, performances, and exhibits to all.
TOOT involves the closing of downtown Lewisburg on Washington, Court, and Church Streets and distribution of a map that will orient patrons to ticket booths, tasting locations, entertainment, and exhibits. The festival strives to offer a food tasting adventure, featuring the fare of southeastern West Virginia, including Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Webster, Nicholas, Fayette, Summers, and Monroe Counties.
Restaurants, businesses, and nonprofit organizations are invited to be a vendor at TOOT 2022 by providing ready-to-consume food or drink in exchange for tickets sold by Carnegie Hall. Tickets are redeemable for your offerings (i.e., any consumable you “sell” at your location during the event) and cost $1 each. Vendors may charge one or more tickets per item. Within two weeks after the event, Carnegie Hall will return in cash 70% of the value of the tickets redeemed at the vendors tasting location. The remaining 30% will remain with Carnegie Hall as a charitable donation to support our arts, arts education, and performances.
A refundable registration fee of $50 is due with the Tasting Location Application, available online at www.carnegiehallwv.org/taste-of-our-towns. Vendors who register by June 15 will recoup 100% of the registration fee, and those who register by July 31 will recoup 50%. No refunds will be offered for registrations received from Aug. 1 through Sept. 15. Registration ends Sept. 15.
Vendors are promoted on the official TOOT map during the four-hour, food-focused event and retain 70% of the proceeds. Vendors should plan now to be a part of this local tradition.
To register please visit www.carnegiehallwv.org/taste-of-our-towns and complete the online TOOT2022 Vendor Registration form. Booth location preferences are fulfilled on a first come, first served basis. Carnegie Hall reserves the right to decline an application or to require alternate food selections.
Carnegie Hall and the community look forward to having a safe and successful Taste of Our Towns. Call Carnegie Hall Development Director Sally Bray at 304-645-7917 or email development@carnegiehallwv.org with questions.
