Emerald Queen Casino’s Taste of Tacoma has been a summer staple for locals looking to sample great cuisine, enjoy local music and support the local art scene.

This year, the event celebrates its 25th anniversary with the same favorites locals love and with a few new elements to keep things interesting.

Taste will take place June 25-27 at Point Defiance Park. Friday and Saturday activities take place from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

This year’s highlights will include 32 restaurants, 19 food product booths, four live music stages, comedy club, beer and wine gardens, carnival, more than 100 hand-crafted artisan booths and commercials products. In its 25th year, the organizers are looking to make this the best festival yet.

“This event would not have lasted as long if it weren’t for the community,” said Cindy Stohr, Taste of Tacoma promotions professional. “I think they come back because this event brings together the best the community has to offer.”

Cuisines ranging from Pacific Northwest seafood to Caribbean fare, Cajun to Greek and almost every category in between are represented at Point Defiance Park. A limited number of discount meal tickets, offering savings up to 15 percent off, will be sold at the event’s entrance. Special discount books will be sold for $15 on June 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. as part of Taste’s birthday promotion. All restaurant entrees are priced $6 and lower. A new element this year is the $3 taste item, which allows visitors the opportunity to sample more foods for a lower price.  

Another new element this year is a Hope Heart “Bite Right.” The Bite Right is a menu item that is a healthier choice for consumers who want great taste with items like vegan gyros, grilled salmon and tofu spring rolls. Items will be marked with the Right Bite symbol on every restaurant’s menu.

Entertainment is a big part of Taste and this year is no exception. At one of the event’s four stages, visitors can enjoy the sounds of country at the KMPS FM Country and Blues stage, or retro and current hits at the KZOK FM stage. The KJR FM stage will present popular covers and originals, while 98.9 Smooth Jazz will present jazz favorites in the Rose Garden adjacent to the Wine and Jazz event.

The Wine and Jazz event will be located in the Rose Garden and features a variety of regional wines. Proceeds from this event benefit the Bates Technical College Culinary Program. Admission is free, but visitors must be 21 or older to enter. Tasting packages are available for $15 and include five tastes and a special edition Taste of Tacoma wine glass. On June 25, Taste will offer happy hour prices from 3-6 p.m. Tasting packages will be reduced to $11.25.

There will be a variety of activities for families and children at Taste this year. Radio Disney will be on site offering kids karaoke, the Reptile Man will show off his slithering friends and children can paint a tile courtesy of Home Depot. The fantastic carnival will offer a variety of rides for children of all ages. Discount coupons, available at the KMPS FM booth for $13, will be good for six rides. On June 26, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium will offer families free admission in conjunction with Taste.

Art lovers can check out Art a la Carte, an area that will feature more than 100 arts and crafts vendors, including handcrafted items, woodwork, gallery art, photography and jewelry.

“People should come out because it’s our 25th birthday and there will be discounts and specials. Every day there’s something new,” Stohr said. “The whole atmosphere is going to be really fun and celebratory this year.”

Admission to the Taste of Tacoma is free. Parking will be available for $10 in the Funland lot (across the street from Point Defiance Park). Guests can drive or take the Pierce Transit Taste Express, which runs all day every 15 minutes from Tacoma Community College. Tickets for the Taste Express cost $1.75 each way or $3.50 for an all-day pass and tickets for seniors and disabled cost $.75.  

Pets will not be allowed in the food court area, only in the designated “bowl” area toward the entrance of the park.

For more information, visit www.tasteoftacoma.com or call, (253) 283-5050.