BY ANN CIPPERLY FOR THE OBSERVER
OPELIKA — With a wide variety of the area’s top restaurants serving dishes, the 10th annual Taste of the Town will provide an evening of food and beverages Tuesday, April 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Museum of East Alabama in downtown Opelika. From appetizers to desserts, chefs will showcase a tasting of their best dishes, while a silent auction will feature a variety of items and packages.
Restaurants participating in this year’s event include Acre, The Waverly Local, O Town Ice Cream, Ursula’s Catering, Takoyaki, Texas Roadhouse, Longhorn Steakhouse, Tart and Tartan Bakery, Amsterdam Café, Zazu, Butcher Paper Barbecue, Irish Bred Pub, Cakeitecture Bakery and Jefferson’s.
The John Emerald Distilling Company will offer tastings, and the museum will provide wine, sodas and bottled water.
While enjoying tasty dishes and beverages, attendees can browse the silent auction on the lower level, featuring treasures from local merchants including The Gallery on Railroad, Wakefield Home, Envy Salon, Taylor Made, Bubba’s Medicine Shop and others.
Sponsors for the fundraiser are AuburnBank, Opelika-Auburn Tourism, Winston Smith T Hardware, The Observer, Starr Insurance Group, Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home and Golden Crown Flower Shop.
Tables for attendees will be arranged inside the museum, outside in front of the mural and at the tractor exhibit.
Proceeds from the fundraiser provide for repairs and upkeep of the museum, which welcomes visitors from around the globe each year who come to view the history of East Alabama.
Located at the site of the old Clement Hotel on 9th Street, the museum contains more than 5,000 artifacts from Lee and surrounding counties. The museum was founded in August 1989 by the late Eleanor and John T. Harris. Volunteers kept the museum operating until funds were available to hire a director.
“The museum truly owes its existence to so many wonderful people who have been willing to donate their family treasures, their time and money to make the museum a success,” said the Harrises’ son, Bert Harris, who is a member of the board. “The museum is preserving our heritage intact with funds from the Taste of the Town, as restaurants and wineries donate and the community supports the event.”
Among the permanent exhibits are World War II POW Camp collection, John Herbert Orr collection, Pepperell Post Office and other items from Pepperell mill, a covered bridge exhibit and antique doll collection.
Lee County’s business, rural and architectural heritage are also displayed, along with a Civil War exhibit, collection of arrowheads, World War II exhibit, local fire and police exhibits, vintage apparel, exhibits on Roy Lee Jackson and Billy Hitchcock, a pioneer frontier kitchen with a wood burning stove and much more.
“We thank the restaurants and sponsors for their continued support of the Taste,” said Board President Jim Hardin. “It is our major fundraising effort for the year and is critical for our service efforts to preserve the history of East Alabama.”
“Don’t miss our Taste of the Town,” said Glenn Buxton, director of the museum. “There will be a wide selection of food and drink options. It is always a hit along with our silent auction.”
Tickets for the event are $30 and are available at the museum or online at eastalabama.org. Membership is also available on various levels.
The Museum of East Alabama is located at 121 S. 9th St. Hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 2 to 4 p.m. The museum is closed Sundays and Mondays. Admission is free. Donations are accepted.
For more information, call the museum at (334) 749-2751.
