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Preview: Taste Addison returns with expanded VIP, new activations and 50 restaurants
Summary
Special‑events director outlined a three‑day Taste Addison lineup for April that includes a VIP weekend pass, new wellness activations, expanded drink experiences, family attractions and a heavy entertainment schedule.
The council received a preview of the 30th annual Taste Addison event scheduled for April, including ticketing, programming and logistics for the three‑day festival.
Adam Morales, director of special events and theater, told council tickets were on sale (with presale through April 23) and described a new three‑day weekend pass and expanded VIP package that covers the full weekend and includes lounge access, tastings and reserved amenities. Morales said organizers are partnering with hotels on packages and offering a gate discount for donations of canned goods; children are free on Sunday and certain tickets (metals) will be half price through a sponsor.
Taste Addison’s food lineup will include nearly 50 restaurants (about 42 established restaurants and several concessionaires). Morales described six restaurant participation formats—World Eat Streets (international menus), pop‑up restaurants, “tasty truck stops” (food trucks), a chef hall concept for single‑item features, tasting huts for sample distribution and VIP samples. Drink activations include a wine experience in the Pork Yard, a spirits speakeasy, a large beer lawn and two new tasting areas: a mocktail/demo area and a chocolate‑and‑whiskey pairing called The Perfect Pair.
The entertainment program will run across seven areas on the grounds, including a main WFA stage (headliners Friday–Sunday), a World Beat stage supporting culturally diverse acts, a new dance floor area, busker pockets for younger audiences, and a Black Fox main stage in the Madison Recording Arts Center featuring jazz and aerialists. Morales said the mainstage lineup caters to the 35–59 demographic that historically spends more on food and beverage.
Other additions for 2025: a carnival located in the Conference Center parking lot (proposed to increase net revenue versus paid VIP parking), a pinata draw on Sunday, expanded art activations and family activities, timed paid tasting experiences (e.g., Table 13 Sunday lunch), commemorative merchandise runs for the 30th anniversary, and targeted marketing within a 15‑mile radius and selected ZIP codes.
Morales described parking and traffic plans. Public parking will be provided in off‑site ancillary lots and the Circle 2 Millennium Garage; some lots used previously for VIP parking will accommodate attractions like the carnival. Paid experiences and sponsor arrangements will vary by activation; in some cases vendors will supply beverages as sponsorship, in others vendors will pay for naming rights or direct sales.
Council members asked about vendor partnerships, hotel participation, merch sourcing and how the event integrates with existing town plans (trails/open‑space). Morales said festival staff coordinate hotel packages with interested hotels and source merchandise partners; he also invited ideas from parks and trails staff about possible trail/viewing areas and said the event team will continue community outreach and coordination with town departments.
No council action was required; this was an informational briefing ahead of the event season.
