Let Your Taste Buds Run Wild!

The annual Taste of Hays County boasts a sixth year of great food and fun.  This event is a culmination of all of the great “tastes” Hays County has to offer; the divine food, native musical talent, and silent and live auctions filled with items from local merchants. Proceeds benefit United Way of Hays County, a local non-profit that promotes education, income and health initiatives for area families.

The 6th Annual Taste of Hays County is set for April 11 at Duchman Family Winery from 6-9:30pm. Guests will ‘let their taste buds run wild’ in a room filled with a symphony of bite-sized portions, everything from savory to sweet. Participating restaurants include the winner of the 2013 & 2014 “Best Overall” award, Cody’s Bistro and Lounge, as well as Bailey’s Burgers, Centerpoint Station, First Impressions Bakery, Holy Rollers Cinnamon Rolls, Kent Black’s Barbecue, Mochas & Javas, Rocky River Grille, Sweet-N-Sassy, Yogurt In Love and more.  Restaurants offer a variety of tastings, ranging from savory appetizers, fresh-cooked pasta, delicate scallops, hearty barbecue, sweet deserts and more. Guests can pair tastings with cool drinks and wine aged and bottled in Driftwood at the Duchman Family Winery.

“The Taste of Hays is a great time for our local restaurants to bring some flair to an audience, show off our skills and engage in some friendly-competition with our restaurant peers, ” says Cody Couch, General Manager of Cody’s Bistro and Lounge. “This is the third year for Cody’s Bistro and Lounge to participate. The event is fun, but even more, it gives back to a very meaningful cause.”

Local musician, Keith Kelso, will grace the evening with his smooth, melodic riffs and soulful vocals. In addition, guests can bid on unique items in the silent auction, an array of everything from tickets to local attractions, designer handbags and professional cookware to local goods and services. Generous donors to the silent auction include:  Brahmin, Capital Cruises, Chick-Fil-A, Conley Car Wash & Express Lube, Consuela, Crystal River Inn, Cypress Creek Rum Reserve, Dooney & Bourke, Elite Bodyworks, The Floral Studio, Le Creuset, Representative Jason Isaac, Mark’s Overlook Lodge, Robin Jackson Photography, Sage Hill Inn Above Onion Creek, Skyline Party Bus Company, Sol de Mexico, Springtown Veterinary Clinic, Starla Michelle, Two P’s & Calli’s and more.

Guests will also have the opportunity to bid on packaged experiences during the live auction, including dinners prepared in-home by a renowned chef, an all-inclusive shrimp boil, Hays County beer and wine tour and more.

Taste of Hays County guests will be dining for a great cause. All proceeds from the Taste of Hays County benefit United Way of Hays County programs and partner agencies. United Way addresses community needs through education, income and health initiatives. This year UWHC supports 30 local programs that work to ensure that all residents have quality learning opportunities, a stable income, basic needs and access to life-changing prevention and health programs.

“This event is a chance to enjoy a wonderful evening, while supporting your community,” says Michelle Harper, President/CEO of United Way of Hays County. “For the cost of your admission you get a culinary experience, an opportunity to go home with great items, and the satisfaction of knowing that your contributions go towards creating significant lasting changes in our community.”

Taste of Hays County is made possible in part because of generous community sponsors which include: Duchman Family Winery, Martin Marietta, Embassy Suites San Marcos, Spracklen Solutions, Celena Martinez Century 21, Ruben & Michelle Lopez, Wayne & Robyn Becak, Seton Medical Center Hays, CFAN, Colormix Graphics and Printing, First Impressions Bakery, Little Guys Movers, Premiere Party Rentals, Blue Computer Solutions, Priority Personnel, SMTX Magazine, Regent Care Center, Texas State University, Creekside Vintage, and Jean & Brian Bondy.

Tickets for the 6th Annual Taste of Hays County are available online at www.unitedwayhaysco.org. Individuals are $50, couples $90. Sponsorship opportunities are still available and offer businesses a unique opportunity to spotlight their services. For more information about Taste of Hays County, email unitedway@centurytel.net or call 512.353.1420.