UPDATE: Carson City celebrated the last day of spring Saturday with an array of delicious and diverse tasty treats dished up at the annual Taste of Downtown, a culinary favorite event since 1995 that benefits local nonprofit Advocates to End Domestic Violence.
Transforming a stretch of downtown into a walkable music and food experience, more than 30 food vendors and live bands participated in this year’s event, filling the streets with hundreds of old and new friends and dozens of families.
Ticket holders collected one sample from each food vendor and cast their votes for their favorite in the categories of “Taste,” “Sweet,” “Beverage,” “Discovery” and “Band.” The winners are:
Best Taste: Eve’s EateryÂ
Best Sweet Taste: Dirty DoughÂ
Best Discovery: Bali ExpressÂ
Best Beverage: Shoe Tree Brewing Co.
Best Band: Glitter BombsÂ
“One of the fun things about the Taste is every year it’s different because the downtown changes and restaurants come and go, so every year we see something new,” said Lisa Lee, Executive Director for Advocates to End Domestic Violence. “What I would like for people to take away is that they enjoy downtown. Living in the capital is special for all of us and being able to walk our streets and walk the capital grounds and see all the beautiful buildings we have while running into neighbors — and on top of that you get to have a great taste of food — what more could you want?”
Founded as a modest community event featuring seven restaurants and approximately 500 attendees, the gathering has expanded over the past three decades, making Taste of Downtown the largest fundraiser of the year for Advocates to End Domestic Violence, with proceeds going toward essential services for survivors in northern Nevada.
Advocates to End Domestic Violence was founded in 1979 by community members who recognized a growing need for domestic violence services in Carson City. Since then, the nonprofit has expanded its programs and facilities to help individuals and families find safety, support and resources while working to break the cycle of abuse.
Today, AEDV provides emergency shelter, crisis intervention, victim advocacy and prevention programs throughout the region. The organization operates a 24-hour crisis line and offers support through its domestic violence shelter program, Sexual Assault Response Advocates and Victim Court Advocates programs, helping survivors navigate the legal system and access available resources. The nonprofit also offers educational programs on teen dating violence prevention, financial literacy, emotional wellness and positive parenting, as well as counseling services and support groups.
For more information about AEDV, visit www.aedv.org.
