It's been 20 years since organizers established the L. Dexter Woodman Scholarship Fund and the Taste of Essex, which provides a healthy share of its funding.
Friday night, residents and visitors will be able to sample Essex's latest "tastes" — and help support two more $10,000 scholarships and other education-based projects.
The Taste of Essex is set to run Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. in The Essex Room at Woodman's restaurant. The Taste is the first half of a fund-raising double play of sorts, with the "Deck's Day for Dubbers" golf tournament serving as an additional fundraiser on Monday, May 12, at Bass Rocks Golf Club in Gloucester.
In all, 32 vendors are lined up for this year's taste. Merrimack Valley Distributing and The Boston Beer Co. serve as platinum sponsors for the event, with the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. as gold sponsor.
Taste samples will literally run the gambit from soup to nuts — from Green Meadows Farm soup and Tom Shea's Restaurant's seafood gumbo to Captain Dusty's ice cream sundaes and much more.
Admission is priced at $60 — or $160 for attendees who also want to participate in a raffle for a $10,000 Descenza diamond. Anyone with questions or seeking to buy tickets may contact (978) 768-2559.
By merely presenting its own $10,000 scholarships, the Woodman fund will pass the $500,000 mark in its legacy of providing money to students. In its first 19 years, the project has handed out $481,500 in scholarships.
"It really is a great cause — and a great event," Viator said.
Ray Lamont can be reached at rlamont@gloucestertimes.com
