SOUTH ABINGTON TWP. — How many different culinary dishes can one sample in a single evening?

Attendees at the Rotary Club of the Abingtons’ 11th Annual Taste of the Abingtons event, scheduled for 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13 at Nichols Village Hotel and Spa, 1101 Northern Blvd., are welcome to find out.

With everything from chicken chili to corn quesadillas and from gourmet coffee to locally produced wine and beer, the event offers a smorgasbord of something for everyone.

“It’s a pretty fun and festive atmosphere — people do have a lot of fun there,” said Laurie Stephens, first-time event chair. “And they get to try a lot of good food.”

Although Stephens is new to planning the event, she said she did attend in the past and looks forward to doing so again this year. She is particularly excited about the live jazz music, which will be provided outdoors by The Mark Nolan Trio with special guest Alex Marino. Ken McGraw will also accompany the indoor festivities with piano music.

Local and regional restaurants, cafes and eateries will provide samples of specialty food and drink items. Wine, beer and cigar sampling areas for those age 21 and over will be available outdoors. Various area businesses and organizations also donated baskets for a Chinese auction.

Participating food, drink and cigar vendors include:

3 Guys and a Beer’d, 13 Olives, A Little Pizza Heaven, Arcaro and Genell Restaurant, Atami Sushi, Bazil Ristorante Italiano, Blu Wasabi, Bartolai Wine, Carmen’s 2.0 Ristorante at the Radisson, Cooper’s Seafood, Duffy’s Coffee House, Fern Hall Inn and Restaurant, Gertrude Hawk Chocolates, Glenburn Grill and Bakery, Harvest Catering and Events, Ingrid’s Swedish Meatballs, Krispy Kreme, Maiolatesi Wine, Mannings Ice Cream, Miller’s Orchards Farm Market, Nichols Village Hotel and Spa, Olde Milwaukee Cafe and Bakery, Parmigiano’s, Sidel’s Restaurant, State Street Grill, Steamtown Cigars, Sunrise Café, Weis Markets and more.

Participating businesses and organizations donating Chinese auction baskets include: 13 Olives, 31 Bags, Abington Community Library, Advocare, Bare Essentials, Camelot, Chloe and Co., Cigars on State, Coral’s Creations, Damsel in Defense, Disaster Blaster, Isle Follow the Sun, Mady Mak Designs, Maiolatesi Wine Cellars, Mama R Designs, Mangia by James, Mannings Ice Cream, Mattes and Mattes P.C., Miller’s Orchards Farm Market, Plexus Worldwide, Rodan and Fields Dermatology, Stampin’ Up, Stirna’s Restaurant, Touchstone Crystal Jewelry, Weis Markets, Woods and Co., and more.

Admission is $25 and tickets can be obtained from any Rotary Club of the Abingtons member, by calling Club President John Regula at 570-586-6931 or online at bit.ly/1Jj60YQ.

Proceeds benefit the many Rotary Club of the Abingtons programs in the Abingtons community and beyond.

Stephens said just a few examples of what the club does are the annual Fourth of July fireworks display, Abington Heights scholarships, the new pocket library on Depot Street in Clarks Summit, the Santa Project and highway clean-ups.

Although she is new to the organization, she can attest to the club’s community-oriented spirit.

“What I hear everybody in Rotary say that makes Rotary mean a lot to them, is that it’s just people getting together to help the community,” she said. “I’m used to being in a lot of other networking groups, and everybody has some reason for being there. And with the Rotary, it really is people coming together to help.”

Food prepared by Nichols Village Hotel & Spa sits ready for guests at last year’s Taste of the Abingtons event.
http://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_ABJ-Taste.jpg.optimal.jpgFood prepared by Nichols Village Hotel & Spa sits ready for guests at last year’s Taste of the Abingtons event. Abingon Journal file photo

By Elizabeth Baumeister

ebaumeister@timesleader.com

Reach Elizabeth Baumeister at 570-704-3943 or on Twitter @AbingtonJournal