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A Taste of Georgetown

Nearly 10,000 Sample Food and Music on Wisconsin

Caught somewhere between the sun’s warmth and the gentle breeze, people eagerly scurry up and down Wisconsin Avenue hopping from one vendor to another, as they lick their fingers and bob their heads to the soulful sound of Blues Alley. Food and wine connoisseurs lined the streets of Georgetown recently for the 14th Annual Taste of Georgetown, a Georgetown Business Improvement District (BID) event.The Taste of Georgetown has always attracted people from all over the District of Columbia, as it allows people to sample expensive wine and high-end cuisine from regionally recognized restaurants while helping to better the community. This year, more than 30 restaurants participated, including Chadwicks, Mie n Yu and Red Ginger. Tasting tickets were $5 each, a pack of five tasting tickets was $20, and $100 provided access to endless tasting tickets. For those who were of age, wine tasting was complimentary. All proceeds from the Taste of Georgetown benefited the Georgetown Ministry Center’s (GMC) homeless assistance programs, which provides secure housing and other outreach services. The Taste of Georgetown has been held for the past four years. “The Georgetown BID is proud to be host and partner of the Taste of Georgetown,” Juanita M. Crabb, executive director of the Georgetown BID, said in a statement. “Not only does it showcase the rich menus of Georgetown restaurants, and the talented musicians and performers of Blues Alley, but it invites families and the D.C. community to experience the historic sidewalks of Wisconsin Avenue as well as generate additional funding for Georgetown’s homeless programs.”In previous years the turnout has been around 5,000 people. This year, the streets were packed and there was barely enough elbow room. According to Julie Y. Weber, senior marketing manager of the Georgetown BID, Saturday’s turnout was between 7,000 and 10,000 people. Kayla Gardner, a student at Howard University, was glad that she attended the event on Saturday. “I enjoyed the tortellini rose from Angelo’s,” Gardner said. “It was delicious. The Taste of Georgetown was a lot of fun. I liked the open atmosphere and the diverse group of people.”