Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

HUNGRY?

Taste of Downtown event expanded for 2020

Aug 11, 2020 | 4:31 PM

KAMLOOPS — It’s usually a one-day event; this year, the annual Taste of Downtown has expanded to an entire month of the tastiest treats local eateries have to offer. CFJC Today went downtown to find out what kinds of delicious deals local restaurants are serving up last part of the Taste of Downtown.

“We have a double chocolate brownie and a few different cupcakes,” Natalie Peace-Young explains, pointing out some of the delicious treats available at AhhYay Wellness Cafe.

If these goodies taste as good as they look, Taste of Downtown passport holders’ tastebuds are in for a heck of a time. Buy any meal at the AhhYaY Wellness Cafe – as long as they’ve purchased their Taste of Kamloops passport.

“It gives the community a chance to come and taste different offerings from the city,” Peace-Young explains. “Which is such a gift, really.”

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Good food deals aren’t the only incentive for buying a passport. Each restaurant you visit gets you a stamp in the passport. The more stamps you accumulate, the more chances you’ll have to win a prize.

“Anybody can come downtown to [the Downtown Kamloops] office, or to the CAP Team office. Five dollars gets you a passport,” Downtown Kamloops Executive Director Carl DeSantis. “Just in the last two weeks, we’ve given away twenty prizes to people who are participating in the program.”

The main reason for the expansion of a Taste of Kamloops is making sure diners can visit these restaurants safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think the biggest challenge is confidence,” DeSantis says. “Consumer confidence, not just for restaurants, but coming downtown and feeling safe.”

There are 22 restaurants taking part in the Taste of Downtown this year, each offering a different deal. From discounted combos, to free drinks with any purchase, passport holders have a ton of options to fill their bellies.

“I’ve never taken part in anything like this downtown,” Gerald Thiessen, owner of Papa G’s Cafe, tells CFJC Today. “We’re offering a two-for-one spaghetti on the deal. $8.99 for the first one and the second one is free.”

Despite that excellent price for a pair of hearty pasta meals, Thiessen says he’s surprised more people haven’t been in to take advantage of the deal.

“So far, we haven’t had a lot of people through our doors,” Thiessen explains. “It’s been a bit confusing for some customers on where to get the passports.”

Chef David Tombs has been part of the downtown culinary scene for many years. After closing Terra Restaurant earlier this year, he’s found a home at AhhYay Wellness Cafe. He believes the month-long version of a Taste of Kamloops is a great way to spread awareness of the wide variety of delicious options downtown during the pandemic.

“We’re given this opportunity to showcase restaurants and products, treats, and things like that for a whole month rather than a single day,” Tombs says. “I think, look at the silver lining and take it for what it is.”

Proceeds from passport sales go to the Kamloops Food Bank and the Downtown Kamloops Artisans Alive Music program. The deals run until August 31st.