Blake, 5 1/2, and Reese Marino, 4, of Kingstowne pose with the Silver Diner June Bug, a.k.a. Joel Castellon during the Taste of Springfield on Sunday, July 30, 2017, outside of Springfield Town Center. Photo by Steve Hibbard.
About 3,000 people attended the inaugural Taste of Springfield on Sunday, July 30, 2017, outside of Springfield Town Center in Springfield. The crowd could taste food from 24 different restaurants or sample the goods and services from 81 vendors. Children could play on the inflatable moon bounce and slide, get henna tattoos or get their faces painted, try climbing the 25-foot rock wall, and have their photos taken with a stilt walker. The entertainment included DJ Chad Fields and pop star Eddie Jones.
"We like to promote community events that bring everyone together and showcase local businesses that may not otherwise be able to have a presence and be showcased, and become something that they can share in front of thousands of people in one day. It just helps them improve their outreach as far as the local community goes," said Karen Joyner, President of Kojam Productions, which hosted the event in collaboration with Springfield Town Center.