Taste Of Durham Festival: Planning For 2012

The 6th Annual Taste of Durham Festival (TOD) was planned at a new location at Park Center, off of Highway 54 in Durham, on October 15, 2011 but now will be postponed until 2012. Kimberly Ruskan, the founder and producer of this initiative, explains, “Finding an appropriate venue for a metropolitan style festival has been a challenge from the start, and the fast growth and scope of the festival requires a large space with specific set-up needs. We have been dealing with significant venue complications for TOD for 2011. Trying to work out logistics for the new and unconventional venue has delayed activities and affected crucial milestones and planning. There is too much at stake to ‘wing it’ and we want to preserve our quality-driven production and continued success.  So we will put our energies, time, and resources to plan for the festival for October 2012.” She added, “Finding a large enough venue in this area that looks attractive and has manageable logistics and ample parking is like looking for a needle in a haystack and forces us to get extra creative to find solutions. Each year we strive to create welcoming and dignified ambiance to experience quality live music, culinary treats, and arts with high-level hospitality for any income status.”

The TOD festival has been a community enrichment movement with lofty goals and vision beyond a creating destination festival. The new redesign of the website will continue to nurture the positive festival vibes onto a virtual platform and celebrate the good life all year round with music, food, arts, etc., all with an international twist; click through the new segments at  www.tasteofdurham.org. “Even if we can’t find a physical venue to continue this festival quest for Taste of Durham, we let our message be heard in other ways and on the Internet,” said Ruskan.

The festival format and website are inspired by the diversity of Durham County and serve many communities with deliberate, inclusive, and varied programming. The diversity is obvious in Durham, and more reasons and reminders to respect and appreciate the international and cultural neighbors that are seen every day.

“The platforms I’ve been designing welcome and engage residents and businesses from all areas of Durham, extended Triangle communities, and beyond,” said Ruskan. “During challenging economic times and constant reminders of division, exclusion, and varying levels of hostility in the daily news, working together and contributing to the quality of life for people in vast community groups is responsible, smart business, and it nurtures the ideals of building healthy communities.”

The blend of the online magazine with niche topics and a festival resource website will showcase and highlight the festival themes with new articles, videos, pod casts, and other interactive components to experience music, food, arts, and so much more. Keep coming back for more stories and resources to live the Good Life!