Early bird sales to the Taste of Somerville are live through April 14, the Somerville Chamber of Commerce said Monday. The discounts means 15 percent off access to the 28th edition of this sampler of offerings from more than 50 restaurants, breweries, wineries and community partners.
The event – one of the largest food festivals in New England – is June 10 at Boynton Yards and is expected to again draw more than 1,000 attendees from across Greater Boston.
“The Taste of Somerville is a celebration of what makes this city special – our restaurants, our culture and our sense of community,” said Jennifer Lawrence, acting director of the chamber, in a press release. “It’s an opportunity for residents and visitors alike to experience the incredible range of food and hospitality that defines Somerville.”
This year’s event benefits the nonprofit Elizabeth Peabody House, which supports children, families and older adults through education, enrichment, food access and community-based services.
General admission is $65, or down to $55.25 with the early discount. VIP tickets that cost $95 and give access to exclusive tastings and specialty cocktails go live April 15. Access for children 15 and under is $15.
There are six new stands to seek out for samples this year, from the Aeronaut brewery, Atomic Black espresso martini specialists, Café Saint-Germain, Olde Magoun Saloon, Redbones barbecue and St. Elder Artisanal Spirits.
Returning restaurants and other makers of food include American Flatbread, Cocolee, Elm Street Taproom, Five Horses Tavern, Foundry on Elm, Gufo Cambridge, Jamie’s Ice Cream, Josephine Pizza, Juliet, Life Alive, Mamaleh’s Delicatessen, Premiere on Broadway, Saloon, Surfside, The Burren, The Independent, The Neighborhood Restaurant, Tony C’s Sports Bar and Grill, Vera’s, the When Pigs Fly bakery and Wild Child Chocolate. More adult beverages come from Ball Square Fine Wines, Martignetti, Portico and Remnant Brewing/Satellite.
“There are plenty of challenges facing the restaurant industry, and this is a chance for all of us in the Somerville restaurant scene to come together, have a good time supporting each other and share what we love with the city,” said Jess Willis, owner of the restaurants Foundry, Saloon, The Independent and Vera’s. “It’s also a great opportunity to meet and feed new customers.”
Mayor Jake Wilson called Somerville’s dining and nightlife community “a vital part of our city’s identity and economy” and called events such as the Taste of Somerville a way to bring people together and “strengthen the social fabric of our neighborhoods.”
Cambridge’s version of the event follows June 17, with Gufo, Atomic Black and Mamaleh’s doing double duty.
The food and drink coming to The Taste of Cambridge includes Barcelona Wine Bar, Cambridge Common, Cambridge Culinary, Caymus, C-side Bar, CSCA Cafe, Fuji at Kendall, Gato Exotico, Grafton Street, Hourly Oyster, Iggy’s Bread, Mestizo, Naya, Nirvana Taste of India, Nubar, Paperback Tavern, Roxy’s Arcade, Russell House, Scull and Keel, State Park, Sumiao Hunan Kitchen, Veggie Galaxy, Good Peels, Surfside and Wusong Road.
Taste of Somerville, 5 to 8 p.m. June 10 at Boynton Yards, 101 South St., Ward 2, Somerville. Rain date: June 11. $65.
Taste of Cambridge, 5 to 8 p.m. June 17 at University Park Commons, 65 Sidney St., Cambridgeport near Central Square, Cambridge. $74.50, with early bird tickets costing $67 through May 1.
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