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The Coeur d’Alene Convention and Visitors Bureau sponsored the first A Taste of the Coeur d’Alenes™ as a "shoulder season" one-day event to encourage tourists to visit the city on the Memorial Day weekend. The very first "Taste" started in 1988 in Sherman Park, with almost every restaurant downtown taking part, including Jimmy D’s, Cricket’s, Rustler’s Roost, Frontier Pies, the Iron Horse, Chinese Gardens, Third Street Cantina, Papino’s, Domino’s Pizza, Spats, Baskin Robbins and The Wagon. The food was delicious and the event was fun, but there were also many challenges, according to Wyn Gregory, who worked with the CDA Visitor's Bureau (CVB) to promote the event. Wyn was, at the time, the President of the CDA Lodging Association and Owner of Gregory's McFarland House Bed and Breakfast, along with her husband Stephen Gregory. Wyn, known for her visionary insight and tenacity, was determined to see "Taste" become the signature event of Coeur d'Alene's summer tourist season.
More space and additional electrical power for participating restaurants was needed for the coming year's event and the CVB was faced with major logistical and financial challenges which dictated that "Taste" had to find find a way to become self-perpetuating. The Washington Water and Power Company stepped up and agreed to sponsor the cost of electrical boards and the Gregory family guaranteed payment of signed contracts for locations and products. In 1989, "Taste" was set up in the parking lot of the Coeur d’Alene Mall, with Beverly’s and Dockside joining the 12 original restaurants. It rained and rained that day, but everyone ate delicious food and had lots of fun. Several months after that soggy day in 1989, Wyn contacted Doug Eastwood at the City Parks Department about moving A Taste of the Coeur d’Alenes™ to City Park. He and Wyn received an OK from the city council and the event found its present home. At that time, however, it was still being held on Memorial Day weekend as a one-day event. To further promote the success of "Taste", volunteers and key people were invited to attend a meeting for the formation of The Coeur d’Alene Festivals Committee, a nonprofit organization. In 1991, the committee decided to expand the scope of the "Taste" and agreed to invite North Idaho artists to display their art at the event. It was a big success; "Taste", the artists, and the event visitors all benefited. Since then, "Taste" has grown to include top quality artists and artisans from all over the country. In the spring of 1994, Suzanne Kaderka, then director of the Coeur d’Alene Downtown Merchants Association, and Dennis Deming, then chair of the Street Fair, invited A Taste of the Coeur d’Alenes™ to join them on the first weekend of August as a three-day event. All agreed this would be a beneficial move for the festival, as well as the city. At that time, musical groups and entertainment were added to the event. The City Park Bandstand area, with plenty of benches and lots of grass, was the perfect venue for showcasing music throughout the three day weekend. "Taste" now had it all - Great Food, Quality Art & Professional Music. What could be better than this delectable and entertaining combination set on the beautiful shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene in the middle of a north Idaho summer? Each year "Taste" has grown in both number and quality of vendors, artists and musicians. There are now approximately 25 food vendors, over 130 artists and artisans and great professional music played hourly on the City Park Bandstand. The number of visitors continues to rise, as well. The last five consecutive years have broken all previous records for attendance. The Festival Committee's Board of Directors presently consists of Carol Gregory, Managing Director, Stephen Gregory, Gladys Cody and Suzanne Kaderka. Board members and volunteers are not paid. Instead, funds generated by "Taste" itself pay for event expenses and help produce the next year’s event. The Committee also funds a $5,000 scholarship at North Idaho College, a $5,000 donation to Hospice of North Idaho and a $5,000 donation to Lake City Playhouse. There is no admission fee, so all funds are raised by space fees, sales of cold beverages at the Festivals Committee Beverage Booth, and sponsors. The event is co-sponsored by Pepsi-Cola Company, Rock 94 ½, The Coeur d’Alene Press, Local 105 of the American Federation of Musicians, and, of course, The Coeur d’Alene Festivals Committee. Although Wyn Gregory is no longer with us, her memory lives on each year as we all have fun doing what it takes to make A Taste of the Coeur d’Alenes™ the event she wanted it to be. The Gregory family, as an integral part of the Festivals Committee, will continue to produce and manage the event. |
