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Taste of Parkersburg draws crowds from all over MOV

JEFFREY SAULTON Special to the Times Heidi Stinespring, of Parkersburg, takes a selection from Aspyn Gilchrist of Cham's Lebanese Cuisine.

PARKERSBURG — For 12 years the Taste of Parkersburg has been the showcase for the Mid-Ohio Valley’s best in the culinary arts.

For the 2017 edition, 14 local restaurants brought their house specialties to Bicentennial Park in downtown Parkersburg for the annual event where they were joined by 10 wine and 14 beer vendors.

Wendy Shriver, executive director of Downtown PKB, the organizing group behind the event, said the new layout with separate entrances for those buying tickets and those who bought reserved seating made the traffic into the Bicentennial Park much faster than ever before.

“In the first hour we’ve had 500 show up,” she said. “You just look around, they are all spread out. It’s been a great turnout.”

Mineral Wells residents Deanna Roberts and Christian McKinney said they have been to several of the Taste of Parkersburg events.

“I’m looking forward to what I can find – I’m making my rounds,” said Roberts. “I like to come here to see friends I don’t get to see too often. I see a lot of them every year, that brings me here more than anything.”

Roberts said she likes to try a few samples of the food and the wines served.

“I enjoy a nice wine and it’s just a good time all around,” she said.

McKinney said the event is a “Ladies Night Away” for her and friends. She said the last time she made it to the event was two years ago.

“It’s a night to try some wines and the different foods,” she said. “The music is good.”

Walt Ramsey, of Vienna, said this year was the first time he made down to the Taste of Parkersburg and he liked what he saw.

“It’s like a big block party,” he said. “Lots of people here I know and lots I don’t know, so it’s a good chance to meet lots of folks.”

After two years away from the Taste of Parkersburg, J.P. Henry’s made its return Saturday. Manager Robert Blankensop said the establishment was using the event to remarket.

“We are trying to remarket ourselves,” he said. “The area kind of knows us as a bar and we’re trying to move more into the restaurant side of things so we thought this would be a great opportunity to let everyone sample our food.”

Blankensop said in the first hour of the Taste of Parkersburg they were busy almost non-stop.

Participating restaurants were: Shortys Pizzeria, Philippines Best, Camden Clark Cafe, Chams, Spagnas, Harmar Tavern, Mango, Tampico, Spats at the Blennerhassett, The Par on Emerson, JP Henrys, El Mariachi, Mary B’s and Da Vincis.

Participating wine vendors were Toscano in Appalachia, Stone Road Vineyard, Wine Tree Vineyards, Chestnut Ridge, WV Fruit & Berry, Franciscan Estate Winery, Charles Smith Wines, Flora Springs, Antigal, Vintage Wine Estate, Kopbrand Corporation, Swilled Dog Hard Cider, Kysela Pere et Fils, Luca Winery, Ancient Peaks Winery, J Vineyards, Copper Cane, Merry Family Wines, One Hope Wines, Cupcake Vineyards, Hawk Knob Hard Cider, Wagner Family Farms and Zonin,

Participating beer vendors were Mt. Momma Pale Ale, Bud Light, Big Timber, Mountain State, Watermelon, Alpha Blonde, PC Pils, Oberon, County Boy Brewing, Devils Backbone, Miller Lite, Devil Anse IPA, Bushwa Berliner Weisse and Seaquench Ale.

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