If you love good local food and drink and care about food security for all, I want to make sure you know about Taste of the Finger Lakes!
Think of it as a giant, delicious cocktail party fundraiser in support of food equity in our region. Sounds fun, right?
I had the pleasure of attending the 2022 event. Here’s what you can expect.
Update for 2023: The next Taste of the Finger Lakes will take place on June 13, 2023 with over 40 vendors. Buy tickets here.
What is Taste of the Finger Lakes?
Taste of the Finger Lakes is an annual event that raises money for regional organizations helping more people gain access to fresh, high-quality food.
It’s a more regionalized version of Taste of the Nation, which took place at Ithaca College for three decades until 2019 and also supported anti-hunger organizations.
Now, with Taste of the Finger Lakes, all proceeds stay in the region.
The event ran for the first time in June 2022 and raised $26,245!
Taste of the Finger Lakes will return every year, so keep an eye out on their Instagram or other social media accounts for announcements.
Website: tasteofthefingerlakes.com
A visit to Taste of the Finger Lakes
When I attended the event in 2022, more than 50 restaurants, caterers, wineries, breweries, and distilleries made their temporary home in the booths of the Ithaca Farmers Market at Steamboat Landing.
The pavilion was beautifully decorated with lights and flowers — the perfect backdrop for the lively crowd that had followed the invitation to “dress to impress” in cocktail party attire.
Tickets for the event ranged from $100 to $150.
If you opted for the higher-priced “Full Experience,” your evening began an hour before the main event with a champagne and oyster reception.
To the sound of Latin Jazz from the Caribe Jazz Trio, you could nibble your appetizers in the sunshine at the lakeside dock or relax and chat in one of the lounge-y corners.
(Pro tip: If you attend the reception, pace yourself! There is so much more amazing food to come.)
During the main event, you took your plate and glass from station to station to try some of the best of the region’s local food and drink.
I can’t do all the great food justice, but I’ll mention a few of the delectable bites I sampled (with apologies to everyone else):
strawberry chèvre gougères from The Silver Spoon, coffee-based mocktails from Ithaca Coffee Company, West African food from the recently opened Asempe Kitchen, a sip of Myer Farm rose gin, focaccia and antipasti from Gola Osteria, raspberry gelato from Crosswinds Farm and Creamery, vegan tofu curry from Atlas Bowl, dry rosé from Sheldrake with lovely strawberry aroma, a lemongrass meatball with green curry and a smoked strawberry gelée with candied pecans from Serendipity Catering, ice cider from South Hill Cider that made me want to sniff my glass all night, and fried chicken from Silo Food Truck that was so good that I sent a text to my husband about it…
To the sound of music from DJ Tuggle you could wander and mingle as well as relax, and then Central New York band The Destination put on a show.
Other attractions included a silent auction, a photo booth, and stands with information about the organizations that would receive the evening’s proceeds.
What organizations does Taste of the Finger Lakes support?
We’re fortunate to be living in a region with abundant, high-quality fresh produce and other agricultural products.
But not everyone has easy access.
In Tompkins County, for example, in 2019, 1 in 7 individuals and 1 in 6 children were at risk of hunger. 13,980 people were food insecure.
Luckily, some amazing organizations are working hard to improve food equity for all.
Through Taste of the Finger Lakes, you can support their work.
Foodbank of the Southern Tier
The Foodbank of the Southern Tier helps bring food to those who need it most by partnering with more than 155 agencies such as food pantries, meal programs, shelters, after-school programs, and senior programs.
The organization serves clients in six counties (Broome, Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins) over nearly 4,000 square miles.
In 2020, the foodbank distributed more than 17.6 million pounds of food.
Healthy Food For All
Since 2006, local farms have been getting together to make fresh, quality produce available to low-income households through Healthy Food For All.
More than 1,000 members join the CSA for regular shares of vegetables and fruits each year. They also get access to nutrition and cooking education.
Youth Farm Project
The Youth Farm Project “grows justice from the ground up” by bringing youth from diverse backgrounds to the 10-acre farm and getting them involved in building equitable local food communities.
The YFP runs a teen summer program, an after-school Social Justice Immersion, a mobile market, farm-to-school-to-farm projects, a community U-pick garden and other programs.
Volunteering at Taste of the Finger Lakes
Taste of the Finger Lakes is put on with lots of help from generous sponsors and engaged volunteers.
Volunteers can help in the lead-up to the event, for example by posting on social media, or on the day of.
I spent a few hours handing out plates and glasses, answering questions, and briefly staffing the silent auction table. Afterward I was able to participate in the party.
So if the official ticket price isn’t in your budget or you simply want to help out, volunteering is a great way to support this worthy endeavor and have fun at the same time.
I bet this is the most delicious volunteer opportunity in town.
To sign up as a volunteer, check the “participate” page before the next Taste of the Finger Lakes.
I had a great time at Taste of the Finger Lakes and highly recommend it!
If you like good food, you may also be interested in these posts:
- Where to find artisan chocolate in the FLX
- A DIY chocolate trail
- My picks for the best homemade ice cream in Ithaca, which, by the way, is the home of the ice cream sundae
The Scoop on the Best Ice Cream in Ithaca, NY
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