Inaugural Taste of Ravinia will keep party going after farmers market on Aug. 9

Highland Park residents can enjoy a second helping if they stick around after the weekly Ravinia Farmers’ Market next week.

Highland Park’s farmers market guru, Ed Kugler, is hosting the first Taste of Ravinia, an event on Wednesday, Aug. 9, that will include local businesses, live music and family activities.

Kugler, who is the market manager for the Glencoe Farmers Market and Ravinia Farmers Market, said Abigail’s American Bistro, Maddie’s Market, Chunky Scones and Scoops will be among the businesses featured at the event.

The festival, coinciding with National Farmers Market Week (Aug. 6-12), will take place along Dean Avenue at Jens Jensen Park, 486 Roger Williams Ave., according to a press release.

“It’s not necessarily structured to be a food event,” Kugler said. “It’s to bring more attention to the existing community, of all the vendors that make up the district.”

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AT RAVINIA FARMERS MARKET/TASTE OF RAVINIA ON WEDNESDAY, AUG. 9

• 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Peace Talks Trio (folk pop) 
• 1:30-2:30 p.m.: Pierce Crask (Americana blues) 
• 3-4 p.m.: Diamondback Duo (honky tonk) 
• 4:30-5:30 p.m.: Mahany Music (showtunes) 
• 6-7 p.m.: Gandy Gumbo (New Orleans roots) 
• 7:30-8:30 p.m.: Al Rose & Steve Doyle Duo (folk fock) 

The festival commemorates 45 years of the Ravinia Farmers Market and 25 years of the Ravinia Neighbors Association.

Kugler is on the board of the Ravinia Neighbors Association.

The festival will take place from 2-8 p.m., following the weekly farmers market, which takes place from 7 a.m.-1 p.m.

“Our idea of being there from 7 to 8 o’clock at night is definitely one of a kind,” Kugler said. “I don’t know of any market that does anything like that.”

Kugler said there will be a giveaway of several gift cards for local stores and restaurants, including Norton’s, Dana Reed Designs and Stationary Station, throughout the day of the festival.

He hopes to bring out nearly 1,000 people to the inaugural event.

“It’s my hometown and I wanted to create something that I feel was still missing in the town,” Kugler said.

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