Fancy some lobster bisque, mini Greek lamb wraps and B.C. rockfish tacos?
All this and more locally made dishes will be served at the annual Taste of Oceanside happening March 29.
This fundraiser is a project of the Rotary Club of Parksville AM and garners money for worthwhile local and international initiatives. The event has been very successful in the past, last year selling 475 tickets.
Lynne Pearson, past president of the club and chair of The Taste of Oceanside, said she’s looking forward to the mini scones with clotted cream and strawberry fig jam. She said there are a number of reasons the event is so successful.
“People like the variety and quality of the food at a really reasonable price, the opportunity to wander around and sample and chat and listen to music, and a generally nice evening.”
Guests at the Taste of Oceanside get to make their way through 11 different food stations at the Parksville Community and Conference Centre tasting scrumptious menu items from local establishments like Arts Cafe, Butlers at the Mansion and Cedars Restaurant and Lounge at Tigh-Ma-Mara. Live entertainment by Peter Mason and Friends will set the mood as people sip on refreshments and bid on silent auction items. Admission to the event is $15, and food and beverage coupons are $1 apiece. The coupons are exchanged for dishes from the various restaurant food stations. Each restaurant will offer three items priced between one and three coupons each.
The event runs from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and a major door prize will cap off the evening.
The Rotary Club of Parksville AM fund annual scholarships for Ballenas graduating students, supports local literacy initiatives, assists the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre and provides support to both the Salvation Army and the SOS.
The Club commits funds annually to Disaster Aid Canada, and this year multiplied its donation tenfold in response to the typhoon disaster in The Philippines. In partnership with the “Live Different” youth movement and their Hero Holiday program, a donation will be made this year toward school uniforms for children in Haiti.
Find tickets for the event March 29 at Marlin Travel and Close To You Ladies Fashion in Parksville, NR Insurance in Qualicum Beach, participating restaurants, or from any member of the Parksville AM Rotary Club.
CONTEST: Win two tickets to the Taste of Oceanside. E-mail reporter@pqbnews.com with “Send me to Sample” in the subject line, include your name and phone number. Draw will be done Thursday, March 20. Good luck!