User:Dhpage/Taste of Huntington Beach

The Taste of Huntington Beach is a notable annual charity event held in Huntington Beach, California every April since 1999. Sponsored by the Huntington Beach Restaurant Association (HBRA), the event benefits the Children's Department of the Huntington Beach Public Library by providing funds for books and learning enrichment programs. The event is cosponsored by the non-profit Friends of the Children's Library (FOTCL) which is a 501(c) charity benefiting the Children's Department. The FOTCL provides management and staffing for the event in cooperation with the HBRA.

History
The event was first held in 1999 at the Huntington Beach Public Library with about five restaurants participating. The event soon grew in size and popularity and moved to the Huntington Beach Hilton Hotel. Growing even larger, the Taste of Huntington Beach then moved to the new Huntington Beach Hyatt Hotel, the largest indoor space in the city in 2005. In 2008, the event grew even larger and had to move to an outdoor space at the Huntington Beach Central Sports Complex across from the library. At this point, over 40 restaurants, 20 wineries, and 15 breweries were participating each year. Event attendance averaged over 3,000 persons each for the years 2006-2009.

Event Highlights
The Taste of Huntington Beach is unique in several ways. Unlike most similar "Taste of" events, customers pay a single flat entry fee and then are able to sample as much food and drink as they wish, without further charge. This creates a festive party atmosphere that reminds guests of Huntington Beach's "Surf City" life style. Live entertainment and auctions add to the fun.

Taste of Huntington Beach 2010
In 2010, the tenth anniversary Taste of Huntington Beach was held on Sunday, April 25 at the Huntington Beach Central Sports Complex, and was well attended. More information is available at www.tastehb.com