By Sheila McLaughlin
The Cincinnati Enquirer

BLUE ASH - Daniele Crandall will be carting 250 pounds of salmon and 200 pounds of marinated beef with her this weekend to the Taste of Blue Ash.

She'd rather be taking a lawn chair.

"I would go myself," said Crandall, a regular concert-goer at the annual event until a year ago. "But I have a booth, and I have to work - and there are no two ways about it."

IF YOU GO

What: Taste of Blue Ash When: 6-11 p.m. Friday; noon to midnight Saturday; noon to 10 p.m. Sunday. Children's area closes at 9 p.m. nightly Where: Cooper and Hunt roads Parking: Free shuttle buses will run continuously from area schools, businesses and the city building. Information: www.blueash.com, 745-8686 or 745-6259. Main Stage concerts Friday 6-7:30 p.m.: The Rusty Griswolds 8-9 p.m.: Starship with Mickey Thomas 9:30-10:30 p.m.: WAR Saturday 2-3 p.m.: Al Green to benefit the Wellness Community 6-8 p.m.: The Cincinnati Rhythm Band 8:30-9:30 p.m.: Peter Noone and Herman's Hermits 10-11 p.m.: Dion Sunday 4-5:30 p.m.: Ooh La La & The Greasers 7-8 p.m.: Mike Smith of Dave Clark Five 8:30-10 p.m.: Go-Go's

Crandall's Evendale business, La Petite France, is among 22 restaurants in this weekend's Taste event which runs 6-11 p.m. Friday, noon to midnight Saturday and noon to 10 p.m Sunday.

While other Greater Cincinnati communities have followed with their own festivals, Taste of Blue Ash is still the pace-setter for suburban summer fests. Since making a low-key debut 18 years ago to showcase the city's downtown retail district, the granddaddy of suburban music-and-restaurant festivals has become an expensive and expansive taste.

With a budget of $300,000, it draws about 225,000 people from all over Greater Cincinnati to Towne Square at Cooper and Hunt roads. There's a strong lineup of free national entertainment and a sampling of food that would wow any palate - from escargot mushrooms to ribs.

"It's just one of those things the city does to make Blue Ash special," City Manager Marvin Thompson said.

In terms of regional events, attendance at Taste of Blue Ash falls behind only Cincinnati's Riverfest, Oktoberfest and Taste of Cincinnati.

Food events are wildly popular in Greater Cincinnati because the restaurants are known for quality, said Raymond Buse, a spokesman for the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce.

"The reason these events are created is that it gives people an opportunity to have a personal introduction to the neighborhood and the particular restaurants," he said. "You can take out billboards, you can take out ads, but there's no better marketing than a personal introduction."

Thompson said the city's share of costs has remained fairly constant over the years at about $100,000. It generally pays for equipment and overtime for workers who set up booths and restrooms, direct traffic, provide first aid and other chores.

Recreation director Chuck Funk, who is in charge of the operation this year, said about 60 city employees work the event - and a third of them stay overnight to clean up the next day.

About six corporate sponsors chip in the rest of the money for top-name performers such as Al Green and the Go-Go's, which each command $50,000 an appearance, he said. Green is performing free this year to make up for bowing out at the last minute a year ago because of illness.

To 92-year-old Ken Ohr, the money is well spent. He is a mainstay at Taste, attending concerts with his wife, Nancy, and volunteering at a ticket booth there.

The event gives outsiders an opportunity to see what the community of 13,000 residents is made of, Ohr said.

The city wasn't always so involved.

Started by the Blue Ash Business Association, Taste was solely supported by local shop owners who donated just about everything needed to throw the first two-day party. It showcased 16 restaurant booths and drew 85,000 people.

Larry Montag, who owns a home furnishings business on the square and came up with the idea for Taste, said he had to fight a lot of cynics along the way.

"No one thought it could happen. They just thought it was impossible with Taste of Cincinnati. They thought we would compete with that. It was not the case at all," he said.

"It took a long time to get restaurants interested because they just couldn't imagine the Taste of Blue Ash. Many of the restaurants I had to eat at two or three times to convince them to come to the event."

Crandall was one of them. Among the initial vendors, she rejoined Taste of Blue Ash last year after a 14- year absence.

"I ate at her restaurant a lot," Montag said.

Patricia Mahaffey contributed.