Close to 600 people attended the 14th annual Taste of the Town to celebrate the Council for the Arts of Herndon's 20th anniversary.
Held April 21 at the Worldgate Centre, the food-oriented event — also featuring a silent and live auction — raised $17,000 for the organization's arts programming and community outreach projects.
To compliment this year's anniversary theme, "How Sweet It Is," local restaurants featured desserts in addition to showcasing main menu items.
SPECIAL GUESTS included celebrity auctioneer, Gerald Connolly, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, and live entertainment.
In addition "Willy Wonka" was in attendance passing out "Worldgate" bars and if the tables full of chocolate were not enough for some chocaholics, a pirate was on hand to distribute gold chocolate coins.
The program included remarks from Grace Wolf, president of the board of directors, check presentations from the Rappaport Companies — Worldgate Centre — for its sponsorship of the Taste of the Town, Stanley Martin Companies for its sponsorship of the upcoming Smithsonian Institutes programming in Herndon and SAIC and Cox Communications — for their sponsorship of the "Technology and the Arts Competition," which is being piloted in the Herndon area this spring.
"The Council for the Arts of Herndon appreciates the support of the greater Herndon community, especially the many volunteers that contributed countless hours to make the event a success [and] the hundreds of donors that graciously gave items to the silent and live auction," said Maureen Ryan, executive director for the council, "and the 20 restaurateurs who participated by providing 'a taste' of their menu."