Taste the Best of Tampa Bay

Have you ever been to Taste the Best of Tampa Bay?

Here are some tidbits on the event:
· Columbia and Sally O’Neals have been with the event from day 1
· Queen of Sheba is the first Ethiopian restaurant to participate
· Best of Tampa Bay is longest running food event in the Bay area
· Raised more than $2 million


Join us Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 7 p.m. along the Straz Center Riverwalk.

Don't miss the Tampa Bay area's premier food event, Taste the Best of Tampa Bay, hosted by The Producers volunteer group as a benefit for the Straz Center. Enjoy live entertainment and sample food and drinks from the Tampa Bay area's best restaurants and caterers, while strolling along the Hillsborough River.

Right now you can save! Enter the promo code PRO for $50 tickets to Taste the Best of Tampa Bay when purchasing tickets. Only one price the day of the event, $75.

Taste the Best of Tampa Bay

Taste the Best of Tampa Bay is the Straz Center’s most popular community event. Each year, it offers a sample of Tampa Bay’s finest cuisine from more than 50 local restaurants while guests enjoy live entertainment inside the Straz Center theater lobbies and outside along the Riverwalk. Celebrating its 26th Anniversary, this annual event has raised more than $2 million for the Straz Center.

2011 Taste the Best of Tampa Bay Event Highlights: Creative Cuisine from more than 40 of the Tampa Bay area’s top restaurants

Live music on 5 stages

Complimentary full bar

Premier beer and wine tasting

Help the Straz Center to Keep the Arts Cooking!

When: Sat., April 30, 2011 - 7 p.m.

Where: David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts

Expected Attendance: 1,500 +

Click HERE for ticket prices and information.

Taste the Best of Tampa Bay

This year Taste the Best of Tampa Bay celebrates both its 25th anniversary and its host, The Producers volunteer group. The Producers helped raise more than $1.5 million and countless new friends for the Straz Center through this award winning event over the years.

While some aspects of the event are new (it now has a Facebook page),
others have become tradition. Some of Tampa Bay’s favorite landmark
restaurants, such as the historic Columbia and Sally O’Neal’s, have
served their award-winning culinary delights to hungry crowds at every
Best of Tampa Bay event.

Developed by Guest Quarters Hotels as a way to benefit arts organizations in Atlanta and Houston, the first “Best of” event in Tampa was held in 1985 to support the community’s dream of a new performing arts center – before the Straz Center had even opened.

Three years later the Best of Tampa Bay attracted more than 1,000 people and Guest Quarters handed over the reins to The Producers, Straz Center’s fledgling volunteer group of young professionals. The Producers have hosted the event ever since.

As a member of The Producers, Joe Reineman has been a part of every Best of Tampa Bay. “The original intent was to introduce people to the Straz Center. It’s hard to think that was ever an issue — now so many shows sell out,” Reineman says.

The annual event invited the community to get to know their new Performing Arts Center while enjoying food from more than 40 of Tampa’s best restaurants, open bar, the best live entertainment and other “best of” surprises.

For several years there was a competitive edge to the event. Esteemed
judges from the Culinary Arts Institute and food editor Mildred Ying of Good
Housekeeping magazine were brought in to taste samples and bestow awards.

Eventually, attendees became the judges in a variety of ‘People’s Choice’
contests.

The event, now called Taste the Best of Tampa Bay, remains one of the Straz Center’s top annual fund- and friendraisers bringing an average of 1,200 to 1,800 people out to share an evening of feasting and fun each spring.

Take advantage of a special offer just for our friends who read our blog and friend us on social media platforms like facebook and twitter. You can get $45 tickets for the 7 p.m. entrance with the promo code PRO!

Enjoy - and save me some Bang Bang Shrimp!

-Kari G.

A few deals

Don't forget we have two pretty cool offers right now for those on a budget:

Get a $40 ticket to Taste the Best of Tampa Bay (Sat., April 4) with promo code FACE. Taste the Best of Tampa Bay features a ton of food and drinks as well as entertainment, all inclusive for the $40 ticket. Taste the Best of Tampa Bay is a fundraiser for TBPAC, ensuring we're able to keep bringing the best to you year after year.

Get a half-off ticket to see the final performance of The Lieutenant of Inishmore on Sun., April 12 at 4pm. That's just $12.25 per person! Use promo code THOMAS when you buy.

These offers are not good on prior sales or in conjunction with any other offer and are subject to availability.

Sweet deal on Taste the Best of Tampa Bay!

Taste the Best of Tampa Bay at TBPAC. Live music, sample food and drink from the best restaurants. $40 tix with promo code FACE.