March 29, 2018 By Christian Murray
The Taste of Sunnyside is scheduled to take place May 22 on the parking lot next to P.C. Richard on Queens Boulevard and 50th Street.
The announcement was made by the executive director of the Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District, the organizer of the marquee event, at its annual meeting Monday. The BID held its board elections at the meeting and outlined its 2018 goals.
The new venue for the Taste of Sunnyside is a departure from the recent years, where the popular event has been held under the elevated 7-line by the 46th Street-Bliss station in a giant white tent.
The event, which typically offers about 600 attendees the ability to sample food from as many as 30 local restaurants, will be in its eighth year. The Taste, the BID’s biggest annual event, aims to showcase Sunnyside as a dining destination.
“We wanted to shake it up this year and keep the event fresh,” said Jaime-Faye Bean, executive director of Sunnyside Shines, in explaining the rationale for moving it to the new location.
She said that the parking lot is a bigger space and will provide the BID with greater options. She said that there will be room for an outdoor beer garden, which will be adjacent to the iconic white tent. Restaurants will also be able to prepare food on site, unlike in recent years.
Taste of Sunnyside 2016
The space under the elevated line is owned by the DOT and comes with several restrictions.
Tickets for the Taste have gone on sale, with general admission costing $40. Attendees will be provided with a “passport” booklet for the first time that will offer discounts to participating restaurants.
Sunnyside Shines at its annual meeting reelected the existing board members, although the board was expanded and there were new additions. The owners of Fresh N Save, Riko Restaurant, KMIA Salon and Realtegrity Real Estate joined the board. However, the executive leadership of John Vogt, as chair, Christopher Winchester, as vice chair, and Artie Weiner, as treasurer, was unchanged.
At the meeting, Bean said that most of the popular events will be coming back again this year such as Restaurant Week, the vintage trolley for the holiday season, and activities at Bliss and Lowery Plazas.
The BID will be introducing a promotion in 2018 called “Bliss Week,” where it will be marketing beauty stores and salons in the area, Bean said.
For tickets to the Taste of Sunnyside click here.
