The Taste of Akron Kicks off the 32nd Annual Akron Arts Expo!

The Taste of Akron

by Brit Charek

Tonight from 6 to 10 pm at Hardesty Park in West Akron is the 7th Annual Taste of Akron. More than twenty local restaurants will be showcasing their best dishes and selling them in sample sized portions. There's also live entertainment, and the playground nearby for the little ones.

I look forward to the Taste of Akron every year not just because of my love for finding new favorite local restaurants, but mostly for the amateur chef competition sponsored by West Point Market that my dad competes in every year. Allan Charek won his first 1st place title in the Final Cut Steak-Off last year and is back this year to try to defend his title! You can check out his winning recipe from last year by clicking here. He has also won 3rd and 2nd place in years past, respectively. I might also mention that last year he was asked to compete in Gnarley Head Rib Contest in Chicago and the Berringer Steak Contest in Royal Oak, Michigan. (I couldn't resist tooting his horn, just a little!)

Dad with his 1st Place Prize last year!

The cook-off is so fun to watch! West Point Market provides each finalists steaks of their choice to grill on the spot. They are allowed to start prepping their grills at 5:30, and judging happens between 7:30-8:30, when the participants present their dish to the panel of judges.

The Taste of Akron is just the first event to kick off this weekend's 32nd Annual Akron Arts Expo. On Friday evening is a wine tasting and silent auction benefitting local businesses, and then Saturday and Sunday is the Arts Expo, a juried fine arts show featuring 160 artists. All weekend there will be great food, live entertainment, an interactive children's area, and fun entertainment for the entire family.

The 32nd Annual Akron Arts Expo is taking place this weekend at Hardesty Park on Saturday from 10 am to 6pm and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Admission to the Expo is free, and there is free parking on the grounds and there's also a free shuttle busing guests to and from Firestone High School for additional parking. Check out their website for more details. The Taste of Akron takes place tonight from 6 to 10pm.