Paparazzi at Taste of Durham Festival 2009

Pictures speak a thousand words and we hope they convey the story and our journey to grow a vision: the Taste of Durham Festival. Select from various galleries. Turn the pages of five progressive years of creating a welcome mat for anyone seeking a quality place that transports you to a slice of the good life. Arts and cultural themes are woven and infused with an international twist into the festival activities. The Community Chest, Inc. produces this festival with old-fashioned ideals to bring diverse people together with welcoming platforms. Their goal is to create an accessible and fun escape to the good life during burdensome and challenging economic times and they hope the festivities and the ambiance provide a sense of haven and, possibly, a taste of heaven . Sit back and relive the festival through the pictures and see if they can give a glimpse and reminder of happiness, contentment, a sense of peace and possibly bliss. Check to see if there are pictures of you, friends and family who are part of our living and growing story. If not, we hope to see you at the next festival. Flip through the fun and spontaneous pictures of Mayor Bill Bell, professional dancers showing their dance moves, and vast community members enjoying the ambiance, choice food sampling from restaurants and caterers, an array of eclectic bands and musicians, international wine and beer tasting, arts and cultural interactive activities, and the "Too Much Fun Zone" activities.

Thanks to our photographers over the years: Mark Dolejs, Lamonte Garrett, Zayd Shakur, Jerome Carpenter, Jessica Russell, Marc Weddington.

The Good Life (the gud lÎfe) adj, n, v 1. a relative terminology used by The Community Chest, Inc. to create platforms and experiential gathering places to explore vast and accessible opportunities to enjoy life. 2. These are pathways and bridges toward respecting cultural diversity, gaining awareness of community members beyond geographical boundaries, and becoming a participant to create solutions to enrich lives.

our mission

Affordable escape to the good life!

TOD is "lifestyle-driven" and inspired by the diversity and international cultures in Durham. It serves many other communities with deliberate, inclusive, and varied programming. TCC tries to include as many nationalities and cultural experiences in the festival activities. TOD has gained regional and national recognition and reached a high-profile status in the Triangle area with a quality driven food tasting experience and affordable opportunities to experience eclectic music lineup which features known national and regional recognized musicians and emerging artists. 2009 lineup presents: Grammy Nominee & Miami's Best Latin Band" Locos Por Juana, from Durham, NC John Brown and the Groove Shop Band, Elmwood from Tennessee, a fusion of many different genres of music, taste of jazz and blues, and other bands TBA | more on our mission

The Eastern Insider: Highlighting Taste of Durham

Bon Appetit: What's Happening in your area, New York, NY May Issue 2008 by Kat Odell
What's Happening in your area, New York, NY May Issue 2008 by Kat Odell Highlighted one of four festivals listed in the East Coast area. Visit Durham's Imperial Center for this fourth annual food, wine, and beer tasting. Chow down on fine foods from top local restaurants, then visit the wine pavilion for a selection of domestic and international wines. Check out a performance of more than 30 artists.

Residents rock out at "Taste of Durham"

The Chronicle-Duke University, North Carolina May 29th 2008 By Ashley Holmstrom
The event was centered around bands representing jazz, Latin, rock, blues, country, folk and Japanese rock musical influences that catered to a range of tastes as wide as those offered by the event's cuisine options. "We are very deliberate in creating something diverse because Durham is so diverse," said Kimberly Ruskan, founder of The Community Chest, Inc., the nonprofit philanthropic organization that organizes the festival each year. "We strive for regional and national notoriety." Festival-goers, many of whom were first-time attendees from the Triangle area, said they enjoyed the wide range of food and entertainment available. The Taste of Durham festival, which gained recognition from Bon Appetit magazine in its May edition, is organized in a way that highlights the arts and cultural experience. She added, however, that she also focused highly on Durham as a community in planning the event."The 'Community chest' is the model we go for when we do the Taste of Durham," Ruskan said. "There's communities within communities.... People pay attention to detail. We want to make you feel like a million bucks."

Taste of Durham: In Celebration of Food

The Herald Sun Durham, North Carolina Sunday May 25, 2008 - Metro Front Page By Ray Gronbergt
Festival dishes out full-flavor noshing entertainment. Clearing skies and warming temperatures gave thousands of people a chance to enjoy the wares of local restaurants. There was plenty of business too for restaurateurs who were trying to showcase relatively new establishment that are fighting to maintain a foothold in Durham's always-crowded market for foodies. "The festival is getting bigger and bigger every year," Finazzo said as patrons continued to stream in form the parking lot. "And people are really enjoying it."

Taste of Success: Treats, Tunes and Snow

The Herald Sun Durham, North Carolina Friday May 23, 2008 Front Page By SUSAN BROILI
Lots of flavors in cuisine as well as music will be dished out at the fourth annual Taste of Durham Festival. Each year brings new sensory experiences for the ear and taste buds. Don't expect corn dogs. "We want to give people a taste of the high life". The same goes for the beer and wine at the International Wine Tasting Pavilion and Beer Tasting Garden. High quality entertainment fare will also be on tap. The diverse culinary and entertainment fare reflects the festival's mission that in turn, takes its cue from Durham.

John Brown Bull City Jazzman's New Thing at Taste of Durham

Cover Story in Triangle Live | The Herald Sun Sunday, May 23, 2008 By DAWN BAUMGARTNER VAUGHAN
At the Taste of Durham, folks will be able to hear those 15 horns lead the 20-piece band in which Brown plays double bass. This performance marks the band's festival debut. "I like to support any kind of arts event that's happening-especially in Durham," Brown said. "It's very important to me to share music with our community." He started the band to get top musicians together from across the state in order to play and share the music they love, he said.

Rock Picks: Highlighting Entertainment at Taste of Durham

The News & Observer: What's Up Raleigh, North Carolina May 23th 2008 By David Menconi
Rising young bluesman Seth Walker, Walker is one of the country's best rising bluesmen is a fine platter of swinging soul-blues with Walker's croon animating characters including the desperate Hurricane Katrina victim in "2 Left to the Ceiling." Yell for that one Saturday.