TASTE OF PARK RIDGE SPONSORS-2018   6/10/18                                                      *Canopy list

BMO HARRIS                                                                                                                                            *

BREDEMANN AUTO GROUP

CENTURY 21 ELM REALTORS

CHICAGO TRIBUNE MEDIA GROUP                                                                                                     *

CHRISTOPHER B. BURKE ENGINEERING

CITY OF PARK RIDGE

COOK COUNTY COMMISSIONER PETER N. SILVESTRI 

DI MEO BROTHERS GENERAL CONTRACTORS

DOLLY MCCARTHY       

ELEMENTALFLOAT AND CRYOPATHY                                                      

FORMULA FITNESS CENTER

GROOT INDUSTRIES

I-9 SPORTS  

JOSEPH MULLARKEY DISTRIBUTORS                                                                                                                                           *

JOURNAL & TOPICS MEDIA GROUP                                                                                                 *

LOYOLA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM

MARQUEE EVENT RENTALS

MAINE TOWNSHIP                                                                                                                    *

PARK RIDGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

PARK RIDGE FOOTBALL

PARK RIDGE LIVING

PARK RIDGE PARK DISTRICT                                                                                                           *

PARK RIDGE KNIGHTS FOOTBALL  

PARK RIDGE PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES                                                                                      *

PARKWAY BANK                                                                                     *

RAINBOW HOSPICE                                                                

STATE FARM INSURANCE AGENT NEAL SALAH

STATE SENATOR LAURA MURPHY

STATE SENATOR MICHAEL P. MCAULIFFE

TOUHY ANIMAL HOSPITAL      

THE UPS STORE-PARK RIDGE                                                                                                                                                                                        *

A Brief History of the Taste of Park Ridge

The Taste of Park Ridge was founded by the late Harry O’Brien (former Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce Executive Director), Dave Iglow, owner of Pine’s Menswear of Park Ridge (in his capacity as Chamber Retail Committee chairman), and noted Park Ridge restaurateur and businessman Dean Patras in 2000.  It had evolved from the earlier “Taste of Uptown”, established by then Uptown Business Association president Barbara Scharringhausen and Dean Patras.  The idea (in 2000), was to enhance the traditional Summer Sidewalk Sale.  Three years later, the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce, under the leadership of Executive Director Richard Brayer, in partnership with the City of Park Ridge hired a professional event planner to coordinate the Taste.  While popular with residents, the festival was unable to financially perpetuate itself, creating a risk that it would cease in the spring of 2005. 

In May of 2005, newly elected Mayor Howard Frimark, responding to citizens’ desire to see the Taste continue to develop as a signature event, secured seed funding for the 2005 Taste.  Mayor Frimark then asked one of the original founders, Dave Iglow to assemble a volunteer management committee to orchestrate the event.  Within seven weeks, the volunteers planned and delivered a fantastic civic celebration.  Succeeding years witnessed similar results.  The current Taste committee is excited about the exceptional free entertainment, family activities, and food vendors for the upcoming Taste.                   

 About the Taste of Park Ridge Committee and Board of Directors

The 2020 Taste of Park Ridge Committee Members:  John Bennett, Dave Iglow, Robin Iglow, Jim Lange, Mark Lundberg, Jackie Mathews, Mike McGrath, Tony Mirato, Jim Nichols,  Andy Patras, Dean J. Patras, Fred Sanchez, Mel Thillens, Tony Tripp, Steve Warnimont, and Steve Wegrecki.

The Taste of Park Ridge corporation is a not for profit, tax exempt organization.  Its purpose is to plan and produce the Taste of Park Ridge each summer. 

 The corporation was formed to protect against catastrophic liabilities to the volunteer members of the management committee and its subcommittees as it performs its tasks. 

A Brief History of the Taste of Park Ridge

The Taste of Park Ridge was founded by the late Harry O’Brien (former Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce Executive Director), Dave Iglow, owner of Pine’s Menswear of Park Ridge (in his capacity as Chamber Retail Committee chairman), and noted Park Ridge restaurateur and businessman Dean Patras in 2000.  It had evolved from the earlier “Taste of Uptown”, established by then Uptown Business Association president Barbara Scharringhausen and Dean Patras.  The idea (in 2000), was to enhance the traditional Summer Sidewalk Sale.  Three years later, the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce, under the leadership of Executive Director Richard Brayer, in partnership with the City of Park Ridge hired a professional event planner to coordinate the Taste.  While popular with residents, the festival was unable to financially perpetuate itself, creating a risk that it would cease in the spring of 2005. 

In May of 2005, newly elected Mayor Howard Frimark, responding to citizens’ desire to see the Taste continue to develop as a signature event, secured seed funding for the 2005 Taste.  Mayor Frimark then asked one of the original founders, Dave Iglow to assemble a volunteer management committee to orchestrate the event.  Within seven weeks, the volunteers planned and delivered a fantastic civic celebration.  Succeeding years witnessed similar results.  The current Taste committee is excited about the exceptional free entertainment, family activities, and food vendors for the upcoming Taste.                   

 About the Taste of Park Ridge Committee and Board of Directors

The 2019 Taste of Park Ridge Committee Members:  John Bennett, Dave Iglow, Robin Iglow, Jim Lange, Mark Lundberg, Jackie Mathews, Mike McGrath, Tony Mirato, Jim Nichols,  Andy Patras, Dean J. Patras, Fred Sanchez, Mel Thillens, Tony Tripp, Steve Warnimont, and Steve Wegrecki.

The Taste of Park Ridge corporation is a not for profit, tax exempt organization.  Its purpose is to plan and produce the Taste of Park Ridge each summer. 

 The corporation was formed to protect against catastrophic liabilities to the volunteer members of the management committee and its subcommittees as it performs its tasks. 

Greetings to Taste of Park Ridge Attendees,

It is our sad task to tell you that the Taste of Park Ridge Committee has decided to postpone the Taste until next year.   Because of the concern for the safety of the attendees, performers, vendors, and volunteers, in addition to our unwillingness to produce an event failing to achieve the standard of excellence for which we strive each year, we felt the necessity to do this.

However, we are very excited to announce an initiative that we believe will lift our collective spirit, as well as offer much needed assistance to local businesses and Taste vendors facing the challenges caused by our current pandemic. We present the......

The Taste of Park Ridge Community Cares Campaign will be an on-line raffle, designed for this exact purpose.  We have invited Taste of Park Ridge food vendors, Park Ridge small businesses, and  Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce members to contribute (3) $100 gift certificates to create an attractive prize pool.  The value of these prizes will be fully reimbursed by the Taste of Park Ridge.  Our goal is to have at least 30 but not more than 50 businesses contribute. The prizes will be awarded to (3) three winners, with the drawing to be held on May 31st, 2020. 

THREE WINNERS WILL GET BETWEEN 30 and50 $100 GIFT CERTIFICATES FROM LOCAL VENDORS, A TOTAL BETWEEN $3,000.00-$5,000.00 IN VALUE!!!

The raffle tickets are 1 for $10, 7 for $50, and 20 for $100

CLICK THE LINK ON THE LEFT TO ACCESS THE EVENTBRITE PAGE

  FOR THE RAFFLE TICKET PURCHASES

All proceeds from the raffle will be divided up evenly between all the vendors participating.  The Taste of Park Ridge organization will not receive any proceeds from the raffle.

Gift Certificates cannot be redemmed until after January 1, 2021, in order to provide businesses with adequate recovery time.

This endeavor is our response to a request from our friend Park Ridge Mayor Marty Maloney, on behalf of our hard working Park RIdge City Council, to help local businesses during this difficult period.  TOPR committee members embrace this opprotunity to serve our community.  This is what we aspire, as volunteers, to accomplish.  We will be assisted in this endeavor by the City of Park RIdge and the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce.