Cheri and Don Fleming, owners of Valencia Acura, are again serving as title sponsor of Taste of the Town

On May 1, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., the Child and Family Center will again host Santa Clarita's premier food-tasting event - The Taste of the Town. Seen by many SCV residents as the "must-attend" event of the year, Taste of the Town is an all-inclusive, all you can taste and drink fest featuring over 40 local restaurants and caterers. To add to the food-driven fun, live entertainment will keep guests young and old swaying in the sun as they enjoy "Margaritaville"-inspired sounds. Held this year at the Mann Biomedical Park in Valencia, Taste of the Town's new venue boasts better parking and convenience, so the relaxed ambiance of the islands will be easy to achieve.


The guests won't be the only thing more relaxed this year; ticket prices to Taste of the Town have dropped significantly. For $50 ($60 at the door), guests can relish all the food and wine they desire, as well as dance the afternoon away at the concert. For $50 more, VIP tickets can be purchased. VIP tickets include all the benefits to Taste of the Town, plus reserved seating at a private covered patio table and a private bar serving more exclusive wines. There are only 100 VIP tickets left, so those interested should purchase their tickets at their earliest convenience.

While it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of Taste of the Town, one shouldn't forget who benefits from the community's generosity: local kids. In order to meet the mental health demands of a growing Santa Clarita, the Child and Family Center is struggling to place one counselor on each public school campus. This program, now available at local schools, has already proven success by reducing campus tensions and identifying potentially dangerous situations before they occur. Still, many SCV schools currently are not participating in the school-based counseling program due to lack of funds. Events like Taste of the Town raise the much-needed dollars that can help make our campuses safer for all kids.

Merci Beaucoup is one of over 40 restaurants and caterers that will be serving culinary delights at Taste of the Town

"Taste of the Town is such an energetic, fun event, and it's great to know that all the funds raised go directly to Santa Clarita's Child and Family Center," says event chair and retired teacher Joyce Carson. In addition to the school-based counseling program, the Center also offers parenting classes for teen mothers, crisis counseling for local kids, and more.

Taste of the Town 2005 wouldn't be a success without the generosity of its title sponsor, Valencia Acura.

Of course, a food and wine tasting event couldn't be held without the generous donations of local restaurants and caters. Currently, over 40 have signed-on to serve their tasty cuisine to hungry event attendees.

Tickets for Taste of the Town can be purchased at Wolf Creek Restaurant in Valencia (ticket purchasers will receive a coupon for a free dessert from the well-reviewed restaurant when they are purchased at this location), Valencia Acura, or from the Child and Family Center directly. Please call 255-6847 for more information.

Directions to Taste of the Town
Mann Biomedical Park is located at 25104 Rye Canyon Loop in Santa Clarita. There is plenty of free parking available on site.
• From McBean Parkway and Newhall Ranch Road
• Proceed north-west on Newhall Ranch Road; at the end of the road, turn right.
• Make an immediate left at Kelly Johnson Parkway.
• The entrance to Mann Biomedical is at the end of the road.

The following restaurants and caterers have generously donated to Taste of the Town:
• Roast House
• An Affair Extraordinaire
• Sycamore Bar and Grill
• Charo Chicken
• Romano's Maccaroni Grill
• Cookies by Design
• RSVP Catering
• Wolf Creek
• Trader Joe's
• Cooney Foods
• The Social
• Stonefire Grill
• Dessert Alert
• Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
• Dream Dinners
• Final Score
• The BBQ Club
• Salt Creek Grille
• George's Catering
• Freshers Soft Frozen Lemonade
• LA Trends Catering
• Nick and Willy's World Famous Pizza
• La Rumba
• Loose Goose
• Indian Wells Brewery
• Java n' Jazz
• Whole Foods Market
• Spumoni Italian Restaurant
• Jill's Cake Creations
• Newhall Coffee
• Lady Di's Cookies
• Mojitos
• South Pointe Argentine Grill
• Margarita's Mexican Cuisine
• Panera Bread
• Merci Beaucoup
• Mimi's Cafe
• Moon Wok