Tips to enjoy the 2010 Taste of Colorado

This year’s Taste of Colorado will still have the usual plethora of foodstuffs for the masses. Famous Dave’s barbeque is back again for their 6th year. Last year their bacon ice cream seemingly changed culinary lives. This year their “chocolate covered flavor spanked bacon” poises to put bacon lovers into food rehab. You can still get the usual Taste staples; fried alligator tail, turkey legs, veggie pakora, curried goat, fresh corn, glazed nuts, kettle corn and beer, beer, beer.

There are plenty of vendors with free samples, Cascadian Farms and Lara Bars are back for another year. New to the Taste free samplings are Kraft Homestyle Macaroni & Cheese, Dunkin Donuts Turbo Coffee, Fage Greek Yogurt, Muir Glen Fire Roasted Organic Tomatoes and Freshies All Natural Cocktail Mixes.

The musical line up is huge this year. Headliners Bret Michaels of the 80’s rock band Poison, The Four Tops and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will perform. Don’t miss action packed performances by “Colorado’s Best Dance Crew.” For a complete list of entertainment, click here: http://www.atasteofcolorado.com/music.asp

The list of free activities at this year’s Taste is heftier than a smoked turkey leg. Watch Navajo weaving rug braiding, quilting and blacksmithing demonstrations in the Festival of the Mountain and Plain area. Pan for gold or hunt for fossils in the Colorado Mining Foundation tent. Learn about the birds of pray from the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program, who will have live raptors on display. Stop by the Coors tent and get the scores in air-conditioned comfort. Submit your idea to the Pepsi Refresh Project. Witness celebrity chefs demonstrating their skills in the Fine Dining Culinary Demonstration Tent. Get your Karaoke on at The Fox 103.5 Kolorado Karaoke stage.

Tips:

BRING CASH. Everything to eat and/or drink is via tickets only. The ticket counter accepts CASH ONLY. Avoid the $2.95 processing fee at the slew of available ATM’s and stop by your bank first.

Parking is far and few in between. Take the bus or light rail. For bus route information or a detailed map, click here: http://www.atasteofcolorado.com/fyi.asp

Don’t bring your pets. The only animals allowed at the Taste are certified service animals. Last year, it had to be at least 90 degrees when I saw a dog with a sun visor and shoes (yes, shoes), high-stepping on the scorching hot pavement. Cute, but Fido would have been better off sitting in the air conditioning at home.

Have a designated area picked out if you have too many beers and wander off from your group. The Taste is a great crowd attractor, and it’s easy to get lost.

Want first pick of the culinary creations at the Fine Dining Culinary Demonstration Tent? Get there early and stake out your seat in the front row.

Purchase “tastes” of foodstuffs instead of full portions. Your tickets will go a lot further.

Sunblock, a hat and water (glass bottles are not allowed).