| Taste of Downtown |
|
|
|
|
Last Tuesday evening marked the 24th annual Taste of Downtown Business After Work Auction. This event was sponsored by the Central Business Bureau, a division of the Middlesex Chamber, and was once again one of our most popular annual events. Chamber members got to enjoy tasting some outstanding menu items from downtown restaurants and bidding on the many auction items that were so graciously donated. This year we had our biggest crowd yet, with over 350 in attendance. Everything from gift certificates to sporting events, gift baskets and art, this year’s auction was one of the best yet! We had 100 great auction items that were bid at the teacup raffle, silent auction and live auction and I want to thank everyone who donated all of those wonderful items. Eighteen restaurants were represented at the event including Café Ology, Chef’s Palate Catering, Enzo’s Restaurant and Lounge, Fiore II, Firehouse Steakhouse and Halligan Tap Room, First and Last Tavern, Fusion Bakery and Patisserie, Harbor Park Restaurant, Mega Wraps, Nikita’s Bar and Bistro, One MacDonough Place, Public Market, Puerto Vallarta Mexican Restaurant, Sangwich, LLC, Sweet Harmony Café and Bakery, Tavern at the Armory, Tuscany Grill and Typhoon Restaurant. We had everything from soup to nuts (literally) and nobody left hungry! I want to give a big thanks to the Auction Committee, led by Co-Chairmen Al Santostefano of the Middletown Fire Department and Sal Nesci of the Middletown Health Department, along with Cathy Duncan of the Middlesex Chamber, Rich Greco of Nationwide Investments, Nick Zullo of JRG Holdings, Tom Cheeseman of the Middletown Area Transit, Jane Carroll of MARC Community Resources, Sharon Fales of TonSha Marketing and Printing, Pam Gronback of Liberty Bank, Elaine Hobart of One MacDonough Place, Frank Kuan of Wesleyan University, Mary Ann Lentz of Liberty Bank, Russ Naiman of WMRD/WLIS Radio, Dan Ostrow of Tat Wong King Fu Academy, Middletown Councilman Phil Pessina, Shauna Reiss of the Inn at Middletown, Jessica Skrowronski of Webster Bank, Diana Tine of Diana, Inc. Hair and Color Designers, Erin Guevarez of Fun Time Inflatables. Their leadership and planning efforts continue to make this event a huge success. Refreshments for the event were provided by Eli Cannon’s Tap Room, Coca Cola Bottling of Middletown, Connecticut Beverage Mart, and Lyman Orchards. Shirts, ties and cummerbunds for the committee members were provided by Ramani’s Clothiers, tables and the fountain were provided by Connecticut Rental Center and bidding paddles and treasure chest were provided by Mercy High School. Our announcer was Don DeCesare of WMRD/WLIS Radio and our live auctioneer was once again the great Bill Barrows of Barrows Auctioneers. Music and Audio were provided by Jimmy Bendz, Dr. of the Disc! This event is a testament to how giving the Middlesex County community is. Each year I am blown away by the generosity of our businesses and restaurants and I can only imagine what a great success next year’s 25th annual Taste of Downtown will bring! Thanks to the kind spirit of Middlesex County, our 2008 Holiday on Main Street will be a huge success! For more information on the annual Taste of Downtown or the Chamber’s Central Business Bureau, please contact Cathy Duncan at the Chamber at (860) 347-6924 or by email at |
copyright © 2006 Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce
393 Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457
Phone: (860) 347-6924 |
Fax: (860) 346-1043 |
info@middlesexchamber.com
Website developer: byDesign Inc
Photos by Bill De Kine, De Kine Photo LLC