Five Guys Burgers & Fries has confirmed that they will be again giving away samples of their food at this year’s Taste of New Tampa® on Sun., Mar.11, at Wharton High.

New Tampa Chamber Board Votes To Move From Shops At Wiregrass A Month Before The Event!

Although it will still be held on Sunday, March 11, 1 p.m.-4 p.m., the location of the 2012 Taste of New Tampa® has been changed just a month before the event. The Board of Directors of the New Tampa Chamber of Commerce voted on February 8 to move the Taste from the Shoppes at Wiregrass mall to Paul R. Wharton High on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., where it was held last year.

Logistical reasons forced the members of the Chamber Board to take action when they voted to change the location of the 19th annual Taste from Wiregrass to Wharton.

New Tampa Chamber president Rachel Haviland says that the mall asked to see a final list of the participating businesses in this year's Taste of New Tampa and wanted to have the right to keep certain businesses from participating in the event, due to exclusivity agreements between the mall and some of its businesses.

“We just couldn’t tell any of our business exhibitors that they couldn’t participate, so we had to move it,” Haviland says.

At our press time, there were still openings for more interested sponsors, business exhibitors and restaurants, although some of the eateries that already have confirmed their participation this year include: Ciccio’s Lodge, Five Guys Burgers & Fries, Baker’s Gallery, La Cubanita Café, Stacy’s Gluten-Free Goodies, Tijuana Flats & Papa John’s Pizza.

“We always have a late run of restaurants and business exhibitors the last few weeks before the Taste,” says Haviland. “We expect to have at least 25 restaurants again this year.”

Among this year’s Taste sponsors are Gunter & Gunter Insurance, YCN Publishing, MidFlorida Federal Credit Union, Tampa Bay Times, SickleHunter Financial Advisors and, of course, the New Tampa Neighborhood News.

Wharton High is located at 20150 BBD. For more info, please visit TasteofNewTampa.info, call 294-2464 or see pages 3, 18 & 24.