BY EARNEST WINSTON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
IF YOU GO
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What: Taste of Boone County
Where: Turfway Park Race Course
When: July 4-5, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Details: Fireworks at 10 p.m. Saturday; car show and a cooking expert on Sunday.
Parking: Available in the main parking lot. Enter through gates 2 or 3.
Directions: From Interstate 71 - 75 South, exit at Turfway Road, turn right onto Houston Road and left onto Turfway Road. From I-71 - 75 North, exit at Turfway Road, turn left and follow to the park.
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FLORENCE -- Organizers of the second Taste of Boone County hope several new attractions, more restaurants and a larger fireworks display will be the right recipe for this weekend's two-day event.
"Overall, we're excited," said organizer Kim Patton, an architect and partner for GBBN Architects. "We expect it to be one of the premiere holiday events in a few years."
The event, designed partly to showcase only Boone County eateries, will feature food booths from 17 restaurants. DJs and additional bands will provide music on an expanded stage area at Turfway Park Race Course.
Attractions will include face painting for children, games and activities provided by the YMCA, arcade games and a car show. Also new this year is Cincinnati-based Rozzi's Famous Fireworks Inc.'s production of Saturday's fireworks display.
All of the events are at Turfway; there is no admission charge. "Everything will be easier this year. Once you've done it, you know what to expect," said Boone County Administrator Jim Collins, one of the event's organizers.
Mr. Patton and Jesse Shipp, owner of Shipp Insurance, each of whom donated $5,000 for last year's event, are also organizers. As with last year, Maplewood Children's Home and the Florence Elks Lodge 314 Scholarship each are expected to receive at least $1,000 from proceeds.
"We think we're going to lose money for three years before we turn the corner," Mr. Collins said.
"We look forward to the day when this will become a major source of revenue for those two charities."
Although the forecast calls for good weather, ceiling fans inside several tents will keep Taste-goers cool, Mr. Collins said. "There's plenty of parking. The fireworks will be set off from the infield of the racetrack," Mr. Collins said.
"We certainly hope that the people out there will come and enjoy, try the specialties of the restaurants, support what we think is a worthy cause and have a good family day," Mr. Collins said."
