The Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce have an idea to create tradition, promote local businesses and host a fun event. Working with
World Business Chicago and
SEED Chicago, the City of Chicago's curated Kickstarter page, the chamber has launched a crowd-sourced fundraiser to begin the Taste of Rogers Park series of events.
Starting smaller with only forty vendors, the first Taste of Rogers Park will host only twenty restaurants or food vendors, ten for-profit non-food vendors and ten not-for-profit organizations. The reasoning was explained as "
showcasing only the best of Rogers Park."
"Being a 1.85 sq mi neighborhood with well over 400 local businesses, the population density and cultural diversity makes this a worthwhile project. It has the right chemistry to succeed. The timing couldn't be better" said Chamber President Bill Morton.
The Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce plans to host the first Taste of Rogers Park at the
Artists of the Wall area of Loyola Park with it's Southern boundary being
the Windform art sculpture, located North of W. Pratt Boulevard and East of N. Sheridan Road. To include the entire neighborhood, future locations of the event will shift to other parks throughout Rogers Park, including Touhy Park, Willye B. White Park and Pottawatomie Park.
Rogers Park businesses have been calling for the Taste of Rogers Park. One business owner explained his frustration with other festivals in town as not featuring Rogers Park businesses. The Taste of Rogers Park will fulfill this need by accepting only Rogers Park food vendors. Additionally, everything from
the promotions company, to
printing of signage, banners, tickets, t-shirts, and posters to
insuring the event will be by Rogers Park businesses whenever possible.
Sponsorship is three-tiered, Silver ($250), Gold ($500) and Platinum ($1000). Rewards include mentions in all press releases and logos on all flyers. Gold also includes banners and Platinum includes an introduction to all attendee's on the stage during the event. Sponsors and Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce members get $100 off table pricing. Additionally, there are Top Ten packages (for the first ten to pledge) and The One and Only package, which allows a vendor to be the only one of it's kind at the event ($3,000).
In addition, if the Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce successfully completes their goal of $10,000 by August 22nd, 2013, sponsor MillerCoors will donate an additional $5,000.
The Taste of Rogers Park will be a one day family event in August of 2014 which will begin at 8 am and end at 10 pm.
"
Come on, everyone! Let's back a Taste of Rogers Park, where the community comes together"! - Chamber Secretary Autumn Davids
