Sixteenth annual event shows Mushroom City
’s flavor in downtown today As local residents gathered downtown
last night for the annual street dance kicking off a weekend of
fun, flavor and entertainment, the excitement for the 16th Taste of
Morgan Hill was already growing.
As local residents gathered downtown last night for the annual street dance kicking off a weekend of fun, flavor and entertainment, the excitement for the 16th Taste of Morgan Hill was already growing.
“This will be our first Taste of Morgan Hill, and we want to see what it’s all about,” Claudia Caspillo said, as she, her husband Ed and two-year-old son Ethan walked along Monterey Road toward the street dance last night. The family recently moved to Morgan Hill from south San Jose. “We’ve heard a lot about it and thought it’s a good opportunity to see the community. We heard lots of local people come here.”
Gilbert and Jenny Muñoz came to the Taste for first time last year, but missed the street dance.
“We really liked it last year. There are lots of friendly people and we feel very comfortable here,” said Jenny.
“You have very good restaurants, like Rosy’s at the Beach and we’re eager to try the new barbecue place that serves smoked barbecue,” Gilbert said.
The annual event has already taken over downtown Morgan Hill with numerous booths, vendors and restaurants setting up shop for the weekend. The Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce, which hosts the event, expects 40,000 to 50,000 people to visit Morgan Hill this weekend.
“We’re very excited and really looking forward to the event this weekend,” said Naylor. “The event requires a lot of work to put on, but it is so well received by the community and local businesses that it’s well worth it.”
This year, the Taste returns to its roots – allowing only local restaurants share their cuisine.
“The Taste of Morgan Hill has been a long-standing traditional event downtown and we’re always looking forward to it, as well as other events downtown,” said Dan Craig, executive director of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association. “But it’s great to see the Taste returned to its original roots of becoming a true Taste of Morgan Hill.”
Craig explained when the Taste began 16 years ago, the public was invited to visit local restaurants and sample their food. As the event expanded, outside food vendors were invited to participate in the affair. This year, with more restaurants opening in the city, the event will exclusively feature about 24 local restaurants.
Today and Sunday, from 10am to 6pm, three food courts along Monterey Road will serve a variety of food and drink from 24 Morgan Hill restaurants. A ticket booth will be located at each of the food courts and will sell tickets for food. People must first purchase tickets before they can be served.
Along with food, there will be musical entertainment by various bands at the Second Street Stage and the Amphitheater Stage, located at the Morgan Hill Cultural and Community Center, dances and other activities at the Kids Zone on Monterey Road.
The Second Annual Harvest Quilt and Garden show, sponsored by the South Valley Quilt Association in conjunction with Garden Accents of Gilroy, will be held both days at the Community and Cultural Center. The garden show will take place in the courtyard of the center. There will also be the annual Custom & Classic Car Show, and the Poppy Jasper Film Festival’s will present last year’s winners at the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse.
In addition, the arts and crafts zone on Monterey Road will feature about 85 booths that were specially selected through a juried show. Commercial exhibits by about 65 local merchants and nonprofit organizations will also be on display.
Monterey Street in downtown between Main and Dunne Avenue will remain closed through Sunday. Parking is available at the train depot and at the open field in the corner of Dunne Avenue and Church Street.
“It’s a real nice activity that is put on well by the community,” said Diane Kelly and Lydia Matthews, both from San Martin. They said they came to the event last year.
“We really liked the car show and the music, and this will be our first time to try the food,” said Kelly.
Dan Ehrler, who has served as executive director of the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce for the past 11 months, was busy checking on last-minute preparations as vendors began setting up booths Friday night.
“I’m really excited. I think it’s going to be a terrific year for the event. For some of us, like myself, it will be our first Taste of Morgan Hill,” Ehrler said.
ARTS & CRAFTS ZONE
• Saturday and Sunday, 10am-6pm
What: Specially selected arts & crafts vendors will have their wares displayed for the public.
Where: On Monterey Road, between First and Third Streets
COMMERCIAL ZONE
•Saturday and Sunday, 10am-6pm
What: Local merchants and nonprofit organizations will have booths that will display their products and services.
Where: On Monterey Road, between Third and Fourth Streets
HARVEST QUILT AND
GARDEN SHOW
• Saturday, 10am-6pm
• Sunday, 10am-5pm
What: Approximately 250 quilts will be exhibited, with a special section devoted to kids’ quilts and a Kids’ Corner with kid-friendly quilting activities. Vendors will also be selling goods. A raffle will be held to win prizes.
The quilt show is sponsored by the South Valley Quilt Association in conjunction with Garden Accents of Gilroy, which will host a garden show in the courtyard of the Cultural and Community Center.
Where: Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center
Poppy Jasper Films
• Saturday and Sunday, 1-6pm
What: A showing of the 2004 Poppy Jasper Film festival winners. Tickets are $5.
Where: Morgan Hill
Community Playhouse
CUSTOM & CLASSIC
CAR SHOW
• Saturday and Sunday
What: The car show returns for its 16th year, with an estimated 165 classics that will be displayed and bring back memories of the days you drove, rode, owned, or wished you had owned them back in those days. Also, organizers of the car show will auction two quilts at their registration booth. They will have a drawing for a third quilt on Sunday.
Where: On Monterey Road, between Fourth Street and Dunne Avenue
FOOD COURTS
• Saturday and Sunday, 10am-6pm
What: Three food courts will have 24 local restaurants feature their special food items, along with beverages. A Food Ticket Booth will be located at each of the food courts and will sell tickets for food. Buy tickets at the booth before purchasing food and beverages.
Where: The three food courts will be located on both sides of Monterey Road and Third Street and at the Community and Cultural Center. Food providers will also be located in the Kids Zone on Monterey Road, between Main Avenue and First Street.
2nd Street Stage
West 2nd Street and
Monterey Road
• Friday
7-9pm Street Dance with Live Action Heroes
• Saturday
11am-1pm Rusty Sterling & Friends
1:30-3:30pm Road Dogs
4-6pm 5 O’Clock Shadow
• Sunday
11am-1pm Canyon Crew
1:30-3:30pm The Seventh Season
4-6pm Fast Lane Band
Amphitheater Stage
Community and Cultural Center, 17000 Monterey Road at East Dunne (outside)
• Saturday
11am-1pm John Garcia
Blues Band
1:30-3:30pm The Usual Suspects
4-6pm Fred McCarty &
Company
• Sunday
10-10:30am Zackery
McMahel
11:30am-1pm Wind
Symphony
1:30-3:30pm Dance
Party Band
4-6pm The Dadz
KIDS ZONE
• Saturday, noon-5pm
• Sunday, 11:45am-5pm
What: Family entertainment like dancing, martial arts, cheerleading
Where: On Monterey Road, between Main Avenue and First Street, with the Kids Stage located at the Sinaloa restaurant parking lot
Kids Zone Stage
Monterey Road between Main Avenue and 1st Street
• Saturday
noon-12:30pm YMCA
12:45-1:15pm Dance
Unlimited
1:30-2pm United
Academy-Martial Arts
2:15-2:45pm Mr. David Music Works
3-3:30pm Ms Ruby &
Hip-Notic dancers
3:45-4:15pm Lana’s Dance Studio
4:30-5pm Live Oak
Cheerleaders
• Sunday
11:45-12:30pm YMCA
12:45-1:15pm Dance
Unlimited
1:30-2pm Lana’s Dance
Studio
2:15-2:45pm Live Oak Cheerleaders
3-4pm Mr. David
Music Works
4:15-5pm Ms. Ruby &
Hip-Notic dancers
