During the hours of noon through 4 p.m. State Street will be closed off to traffic from Washington to Centre avenues. Instead of the usual automobiles, tents and tables laden with taste samplings featuring American, South American, Mediterranean and Italian cuisine will grace the center of State Street.
A $5 family donation will secure a wristband entitling the wearer to sample the fares of The Brick Hotel & Restaurant, Clubhouse Bar & Grille, Café con Leche, Isaac Newton's Restaurant, Mom's Bake at Home Pizza, Newtown Chocolate Shoppe, Richard's Thornton House, and Trattoria Mediterranea. The participating eateries are donating their goods. All monies raised are designated for renovations to the Newtown Theatre on State Street.
One of the goals of Newtown Borough Retailers Association is to help improve the quality of life, and business, within the borough. The intention behind Taste of Newtown is to introduce people from outside the borough to the quality of restaurants in town - and maybe remind the tastebuds of those who live in the vicinity of what they may be overlooking. There are currently thirteen restaurants and dessert places within the Borough itself.
"Hopefully people will come to the event and like what they taste, maybe decide that they would like more and stay for dinner...Or just keep coming back," said Doug Haines, owner of Newtown Chocolate Shoppe and one of the event organizers. Taste of Newtown will benefit the retail shops as well as the restaurants since the event is designed to allow visitors to sample the variety of good food, visit the shops and meet the retailers. Sidewalk sales are on some retailers' agenda as well. A live band will provide entertainment on stage in front of the First National Bank Trust Department.
"Everyone is working in concert together," Haines said. "It should be a really good time."
In the event of rain, Taste of Newtown will be held on Sunday, October 5th from noon to 4 p.m.