Taste the Keys returns to the Upper Keys in October, giving residents and visitors an opportunity to explore local restaurants through special menus and food-focused events.
Key Largo Chamber of Commerce President Suzi Youngberg joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about the event.
The monthlong event will run October 1 through October 31 and will feature participating restaurants offering prix fixe menus at special prices. Many menus include an appetizer, entrée and dessert, allowing diners to try restaurants they may not have visited before while knowing the cost in advance.
Taste the Keys is also designed to bring business to the Upper Keys during October, traditionally a slower time of year.
“We just really want to try to bring some business into these restaurants into a slower time of year, and trying to entice some people maybe from outside of the Keys to come down during this slower time,” Youngberg said.
The chamber is also promoting Taste the Keys outside the Florida Keys, with billboards in Miami-Dade and Broward counties along the Turnpike and other highways.
One of the featured events will be the Taste the Keys Foodie Trolley Tour on October 15. Youngberg said up to 22 people will ride the trolley to four participating restaurants, with each restaurant offering a small plate and a paired adult beverage.
“Forget bar hopping. This is bite hopping,” Youngberg said.
Tickets for the October 15 trolley tour are already available at TasteTheKeys.com, where participants can also view the restaurants and menus. A second trolley tour is planned for October 29, with tickets expected to go on sale once the final restaurant is confirmed.
The chamber recently held its annual Health and Wellness Expo, with about 80 attendees and 16 health and wellness vendors. Youngberg said this year’s event included a mix of traditional and alternative health resources, including yoga and in-home health care providers.
The chamber is also welcoming new businesses to the Upper Keys. A grand opening and ribbon-cutting for Blue Current Electrical Supply is scheduled for Wednesday, followed by a ribbon-cutting for Coast to Coast Pizza on Thursday.
The chamber’s next Members in Motion gathering will be September 24 at 5:30 p.m. at the Key Largo Volunteer Fire Rescue Museum. Youngberg recently toured the museum and said it includes memorabilia from the area’s volunteer fire and rescue history, along with a tribute exhibit honoring September 11.
Looking ahead to October, the chamber’s monthly social networking luncheon will feature Monroe County Supervisor of Elections Sherri Hodes discussing election integrity and voter education. The luncheon will also provide an opportunity for chamber members to meet candidates for the chamber’s board of directors.
Youngberg said several board positions are opening because current directors are reaching their term limits. Chamber members will be able to nominate themselves or another member for consideration.
The Key Largo Chamber of Commerce also operates the Key Largo Visitor Center at Mile Marker 106. Youngberg said the facility recently received renovations, including new windows and doors and a new air-conditioning system.
More information about the chamber and its upcoming events is available at KeyLargoChamber.org, while Taste the Keys information and trolley tickets are available at TasteTheKeys.com.