With rain expected this weekend, Saturday might be the perfect time to visit the Torne Center for A Taste of Ramapo, where restaurants from across the Town of Ramapo host tables offering samples of their fine foods and tasty goods. The combination of Winter Carnival will add a festive air to the free food fun.
“We want to bring the community together,” said Town of Ramapo Director of Parks & Recreation Michelle Antosca. “And show all the wonderful things there are in Ramapo — our restaurants, local activities and organizations, as well as the recreation programs we offer year round.”
“Two years ago we combined the two events,” said Town of Ramapo Parks & Recreation Director Michelle Antosca, referring to Winter Carnival and A Taste of Ramapo. “Each year we get more restaurants and our attendance is upwards of 500 people throughout the event. We want to bring the community together and show all the wonderful things there are within Ramapo.”
The combined event takes place throughout the Joseph T. St. Lawrence Center Saturday afternoon from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Winter Carnival gives parents a chance to look around at some of the areas restaurants while the kids enjoy supervised entertainment. Bring an appetite for pizza. Some of the local fare will include Sloatsburg’s own Sunnyside’s Bar and Grill, Tuxedo Junction Inn, Waterwheel Restaurant and Cafe, Sutter’s Mill, Nonna’s Pizza & Restaurant, Cicero’s Pizza Express, and Nicky’s Pizza & Hero Shop.
The combination of Winter Festival and A Taste of Ramapo usually provides an opportunity to bring the community together during the long winter months, although this year is different, with the weak winter weather.
“Local agencies set up tables to share what they do — sport leagues, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts,” said Antosca. “It is a nice way for residents to enjoy local fare from Town restaurants, promote local business and offer kids a place to run around and play. There’s free food, arts, crafts, music, inflatable rides for kids. ”
Sponsored by the Town of Ramapo and put on by the Parks & Recreation Department, the Winter Festival/A Taste of Ramapo is free to participants and attendees alike. The event takes place Saturday, March 3 from 1 p.m. – 5p.m. at the Joseph T. St. Lawrencey Community Center on Torne Valley Road in Hillburn. For additional information on the event, call the Torne Center at 753-2324.
