Music and falling fish will be among the highlights at this year’s Taste of Pine Island
Those attending this year’s Taste of Pine Island will get a huge bang for their buck as this event promises something for everyone. The biggest draw will be the opportunity to sample the offerings of 11 island and area restaurants and shopping from numerous art and craft vendors as well as serving as judges for the People’s Choice Awards for the Southwest Florida Seafood Chowder Cook-off. If that wasn’t enough, the members of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Pine Island have enlisted the talents of several island musicians and performers.
Kicking off the event this year will be the ever popular Vytas Vibe which will perform a variety of music ranging from today’s pop music and classics of yesteryear.
Also performing on the big stage this year will be the well known group, Soapbox. This trio performs a variety of music from classic rock tunes to todays latest ballads. Soapbox can be seen regularly at Bert’s Bar and Grill and Miceli’s in Matlacha.
High energy can best describe the performances by the group Strange Arrangement. Led by brothers Warren and Gregory Van Kirk, the music performed by the group is family friendly and appeals to audiences young and old. The music performed by the brothers Van Kirk are all originally composed and are of an up-beat nature that draws many audience members to their feet. Also taking the stage during the Taste will be the new group Rock Band and the Youth String Quartet known as Love Notes comprised of area high school students will be performing under the tasting tent on the grounds of the event. Dance performances also will entertain the crowds and include the Hot Flashz dance troop, Calendar Girls and Pine Island Dance.
Billed as a family friendly event, many activities have been planned for the children. Children can take a ride on a train, face the challenge of the rock climbing wall or hop to their hearts content in the bounce houses.
Culminating the day’s events will be the annual Fish Drop. Up until the afternoon of the event, tickets will be on sale for numbered plastic fish which will be hoisted to the top of a crane and dropped to the earth below. Each ticket will coincide with each of the 2,500 brightly colored fish. The person holding a ticket with the same number as the fish that lands closest to the bulls-eye will be awarded a cash prize of $1,000. In addition, $500 will be awarded for second place and $250 for third. Advanced tickets can be purchased for $5 each or 5 for $20 at TIB Bank, Southwest Capital Bank, SunTrust Bank, Century 21 realty and the Greater Pine Island Chamber of Commerce Welcome Center.
This year’s Taste of Pine Island will be staged at Phillips Park at the island center from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost of admission is $5 and attendees are reminded that no pets or carry-in beverages will be allowed.
The Taste of Pine Island is the primary fund raiser for the Kiwanis Pine Island Youth Scholarship Fund.
“It is our hope that we can raise over $20,000 during this year’s event to provide scholarships for several deserving island students,” said event organizer Pat Burman. “In the past, we have been able to support many outstanding students who have gone on to have very successful educational experiences and it is our goal to continue that tradition.”
Since 1985, the Kiwanis Club of Greater Pine Island has provided over $200,000 in scholarships.
The Kiwanis Club of Greater Pine Island is a community service organization of volunteers that meet every Friday morning.
For more information about the Kiwanis or the Taste of Pine Island, call, Pat Burman at 283-0777 or e-mail to printing@AdandPrintCraft.com