Taste of Bloomington attracts crowd

The sky looked bad for most of the day and the radar looked even worse. But Saturday, for some reason, it refused to rain.

This lack of precipitation helped make for a crowded Taste of Bloomington during the course of the festival’s eight hours. Many booths ran out of items by 8 p.m., but that didn’t deter the crowds.

“The radar looked pretty bad. We had some phone calls from restaurants asking about cancellations,” Ron Stanhouse, the festival’s co-director, said.

After record-setting attendance last year, the 2011 edition was even larger. Stanhouse said indications were that about 25 percent more people made their way to Showers Common Plaza this year. It was the first time the festival has been there, which Stanhouse said he thinks helped make for many first-time visitors as well.

“We had a number of people tell us it was their first time attending. I think the country stage had a lot to do with that,” he said.

The Hoosier Country 105 stage, another new part of the Taste, featured three local acts and also big-label talent Josh Kelley. Stanhouse said it spoke, in part, to the popularity of country music.

Alex Giesick, a 2011 IU graduate, didn’t watch the country stage but said it was his first time attending the festival. He came to get Short Stop barbecue.

“The food was good. It was kind of crowded and hectic, but that wasn’t a big deal with all the different vendors and stuff going on,” he said.

Aside from the country stage, there was also the main stage that crowds in the area loved. Hairbanger’s Ball, an ’80s cover band, had both teenagers and adults visibly rocking, and The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band came on later to close out the festival with more than enough energy to match the crowd.

“Josh Kelley is a national act, the highest caliber of entertainment,” Stanhouse said. “But I mean, Reverend Peyton puts on a great act. Those guys were incredible. And Hairbanger’s Ball was dead-on too. Everyone was so into it.”

While anyone older than 10 danced to the music, the youngest attendees walked around with faces painted and enjoyed an expanded children’s area. There was definitely something for everyone, and even the vendors enjoyed the atmosphere.

“I just thought it was great to have such musical diversity,” Karen Blann said. Blann is banquets coordinator for Chapman’s Restaurant and Bar, which had a booth right by the country stage. Chapman’s stand also took home second place in a contest for best decorated booth.

“We hadn’t been in a few years, but we were really busy and had a great time.”