Taste of Bryant to kick off summer season for chamber

Greater Bryant Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Todd Rhoden, left, Taste of Bryant committee chairman Kim Leech and chef Serge Krikorian pose for a photo during last year’s Taste of Bryant at Bishop Park.
Greater Bryant Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Todd Rhoden, left, Taste of Bryant committee chairman Kim Leech and chef Serge Krikorian pose for a photo during last year’s Taste of Bryant at Bishop Park.

BRYANT — The most important aspect for the annual Taste of Bryant is to remain family-friendly, but at the same time be mindful of the young professionals in the area. That is the main driving force behind last year’s VIP area, a first for the event.

“Taste of Bryant is very family-friendly, and we don’t want to do away with that,” organizer and committee chairman Kim Leech said. “But if we keep [the VIP area separate], then we can have something for everybody.”

Leech said that last year, about 125 people visited the room, and she said she didn’t receive a single complaint.

“It turned out really good,” Leech said. “The tweaks we are making are the committee’s own thoughts. We want it to be a little different every year, but it seemed really enjoyable last year.

“It was a good turnout. We hope that it just continues to grow.”

The 19th annual Taste of Bryant, sponsored by Everett Buick GMC, will take place May 31 at Bishop Park, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The VIP Room will open at 7 p.m. Tickets for the event are $15 for adults or $20 for the VIP Room, $12 for seniors and $5 for children ages 7 to 12. Kids 6 and younger will be admitted free. For more information or tickets, visit www.bryantchamber.com or call (501) 847-4702.

“We are tweaking a few things that we learned that worked and didn’t work,” Leech said, concerning the VIP Room. “Last year, it was in a room upstairs, so it was kind of removed, so this year, it will all be on the same floor as the event itself.”

The VIP room is sponsored by Jamie South of State Farm Insurance and Stated Apparel, a clothing and printing business in Benton. Dave & Buster’s of Little Rock will return with games, and two local liquor stores — CrossRoads Wine and Spirits and Crush Wine & Spirits — will serve sample luau drinks. There will also be a margarita machine and a limbo competition. Riverside Catering of Benton will have a cash bar for beer and wine.

“Last year, we were kind of headed for a club feel, and that is how we decorated,” Leech said. “With the music we had, and having it upstairs contained, it definitely had more of a club vibe.

“This year, we are lightening everything up by having it downstairs in a place where there are some windows. We want it to be a more lighter-type entertainment.”

There will also be a band playing in the Senior Adult Center for the older crowd.

In the past, Taste of Bryant has been in August or the end of July, so by moving the event up to the end of May, Leech said, she hopes for it to be more of a summer kickoff.

“Our two biggest events are Taste and Fall Fest,” Leech said. “Fall Fest is always in September, so we had our two big events kind of close together. So we were thinking about spreading that out so we don’t wear out our volunteers.

“We thought it would be a good way to start off the summer season.”

Leech said 25 restaurants have already confirmed for the event, but she said there are always some last-minute stragglers, so she expects up to 30 restaurants to sample from.

“A few new ones this year include Pasta J’s, which has new ownership, and it is the first time they have been back in a while,” Leech said. “We will also have Tacos 4 Life and Buffalo Wild Wings for the first time.

“And of course, we have the ones that have been with us year in and year out.”

Leech said some restaurants have been coming to the event for the majority of the 19 years it has taken place.

“I think that speaks volumes, more than the people we have coming out,” she said. “The food vendors see the good that comes from it.

“They gain exposure, which is ideally how this all started. We wanted to highlight what we have to offer to eat, and it has grown to Saline County.

“I just think it speaks a lot for the good it does for them.”

There will be a silent auction again this year, and it includes two items valued over $1,000.

“Morie Fine Art has donated a family studio-portrait session valued at $1,500, and OMG Digital Ads has donated its sign in front of the Walmart Supercenter in Benton for 28 days,” Leech said. “We will also have a family pack to an Arkansas Travelers game, and Baker’s Fine Jewelry always gives great donations.”

Leech said silent-auction items are still being accepting, if anyone is interested.

“We will have a really good silent auction,” Leech said. “There is a lot of good stuff there.”

Last year, Taste of Bryant had almost 700 people attend.

“I think it is just a really fun atmosphere,” Leech said. “And we get a pretty eclectic group at the event — people you don’t see at every chamber event.

“We usually get people who are not necessarily in the Bryant business world, and they bring their kids, and the event is still affordable.

“Everybody seems happy when you are going from place to place and getting tons of food.”

Staff writer Sam Pierce can be reached at (501) 244-4314 or spierce@arkansasonline.com.

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