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Site chosen for Taste of Beach

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The 2009 Taste of the Beach – Sunday, June 7 – has an official home for the Greater Fort Myers Beach Area Chamber of Commerce sponsored event.

At the Taste of the Beach meeting on Wednesday, April 8, the site selection team of Barb Rich, Tim Gilbert, Kevin Morrison and John Albion confirmed that the event’s location will be at the end of Main Street in the lot adjacent to the Key West Express.

Taste of the Beach Chairman George Ghanem is anticipating a few surprises for the 14th annual event.

“We have some great, exciting changes this year,” said Ghanem. “We’ve formed a great committee with some creative ideas.”

Ghanem said live music, a wine-tasting tent, a chef palate-tasting challenge and a top-of-the-line children’s area are new to the event and in the preliminary stages of preparation.

Parrot Key Caribbean Grill will provide free wine for the tasting.

“We’re looking at face painting to children’s games to some inflatables for activities,” he said. “We upgrading it to attract more families and children.

We’re going to have live music and chef cooking demonstrations throughout the day.”

Some of the past contests – like the server challenge – will be included during the day.

“We’ll still have the waiter/waitress contest which is very popular,” said Ghanem. “We’re also expected to have a cooking training seminar. It should be a great event.”

Sponsors should be announced in the near future.

According to Ghanem, there will be plenty of parking, boat docks for easy access to the Back Bay and a post office credo.

“No matter what the weather, we’re going to be protected,” he said. “Rain or shine should be stressed. If something were to occur, we plan on tenting the whole area. The tent will be as large as the Octoberfest if necessary.”

Anyone interested in volunteering for the event should contact the FMB Chamber at 454-7500.