On Sept. 7, Food for Thought: Taste of Lemont returned this year, bringing together the community with food, friends and fun. Taste of Lemont is an annual event that features food and beverage vendors from local restaurants, live music, family-friendly activities and a “split the pot” raffle. This year, vendors included Barrel & Vine, The Creamery, Digs on Canal feat. Gelsosomo’s Pizza, Folklore Coffee, Heroes West, Jimbo’s Pizza, LHS Blue & Gold Athletic Boosters, MaMa D’s, Matt’s Barbecue, Moreno’s Mexican Restaurant, Pollyanna Brewing Company, Rosati’s Pizza, Rosebud Lemont and Wooden Paddle.
The Lemont High School Educational Foundation (LHSEF) hosts the annual event, where all proceeds from the event go towards enhancing educational opportunities at Lemont High School. Tickets for Taste of Lemont were $10 online and $15 at the door, with admissions being free for LHS students and children 14 and under.
“The money that is earned by the LHSEF is given back to [LHS] in the form of grants that are requested or applied for by teachers within the building that are then put to the use to help our students,” LHS Principal Eric Michaelsen said. “It’s a way to provide more for our students than what just the regular budget would provide for.”
In previous years, Taste of Lemont has drawn thousands of attendees, making the event one of the most popular and anticipated in Lemont.
“I’ve been to [every Taste of Lemont], and this was as big as any we’ve had,” Michaelsen said. “It’s a family friendly event, so people under a certain age get to come in for free. Those types of [age allowances], I think, help bring a crowd.”
By using ticket vouchers bought at the entrance to Taste of Lemont, attendees use the tickets to pay for food and beverages from a vendor of their choosing. Becoming a food vendor at Taste of Lemont provides a space for local restaurants to display their food and menu while also engaging with people in the community.
“It’s a way for those restaurants to [give] back to the community and to the high school, but also a way for them to kind of advertise,” Michaelsen said.
With Lemont being such a tight-knit community, events like Taste of Lemont quickly become popular and anticipated by locals and neighboring communities. The support and attendance of the event fosters a positive outlook on the future of Taste of Lemont.
“I think the hope for the future is that [Taste of Lemont] would continue to be a successful event, that people would continue to come down to it and support [LHS] and support the LHSEF,” Michaelsen said.
Continuing the annual tradition of supporting the community of Lemont and providing educational opportunities at LHS, it’s safe to say that locals look forward to seeing what Taste of Lemont has in store for the community next year.
