ABILENE – Join in the tasting adventure featuring locally owned eateries in the Abilene vicinity during the 5 Star Arts Festival this weekend. The Taste of Abilene will be held at the civic center on Saturday, Sept. 26 from 6 to 9 p.m.
Tickets are $20 in advance and at the door. Advance tickets are available now at the Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau and will also be available Saturday at the 5 Star Arts Festival Information Booth located in the historic depot parking lot on 2nd Street.
Participating restaurants include: Amanda’s Bakery & Bistro, Auburn Pharmacy Soda Fountain, Guilley’s, Hitching Post Restaurant, Ike’s Place Bar & Grill, The Buggy Stop, The Dish, Tossed n Sauced Pizza, La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant, West’s Country Market Deli and Bakery, and Foodies Paradise.
In addition to the Taste event, the three-day festival will highlight Kansas artists. The artists will display their work in local businesses and booths set up around downtown. There will also be two stages featuring a variety of live music, a Contra Dance, and a number of children’s activities including art classes sponsored by Frakes Co., a bouncy castle and a miniature train. The Abilene Police and Fire Departments will have vehicles on display and the National Guard will set up an inflatable jousting pit.
Some of the featured artists participating in this year’s festival include: Sarah Smith, Jo Schwartz, Christopher Leger, Dennis Biggs, Randy Clark, Susan Hearn, Rebekah Whitley, Virgil Penner, Tracine Saulter, Julie Cates, Karen Cooper, Judith Wesley, Pam Bathurst, Terra Coons, Bob Bow, Liza Bacon, and Kim Decker. The festival committee is pleased to have a strong Abilene representation along with surrounding communities including Salina, Enterprise, Newton, and White City.
Participating businesses, studios, and restaurants will be marked with bright balloons. Food will be available for festival goers at a number of downtown area restaurants including Amanda’s Bakery & Bistro on Broadway, The Dish on Cedar, Tossed n Sauced Pizza on 3rd, and Foodies Paradise Truck will be parked on 2nd Street. The majority of artists will set up in tents and downtown businesses as well as the Burning Tree Art Studio located in Old Abilene Town.
All event details and schedules are available on the Abilene Kansas App. Connect with us @5StarArts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Special thanks to the Community Foundation of Dickinson County for their generous support. Additional sponsors include Eagle Communications and Rawhide Portable Corral as well as several other local businesses and individuals.