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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Susan and Cliff Fleming of the Bluff Park community try some vegetarian egg rolls and chicken gnocci from The Happy Catering Co. at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Rock R Roll Sushi served samples of its food at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Christina Hixson serves samples for CakEffect at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Hoover Belles Ella Fuller and Emilee Turner welcome guests to the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Jalanda Hayes, Lauren Grisham and Jake Lund prepare fried pickle burgers and shrimp tacos for Jefferson's at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Several hundred people attended the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. Included among the guests, back row from left, were Linda Gregg, Jan Harris, Dana Olivier and Jack Williams, and, sitting from left, Wally Gregg and Jude Olivier.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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The Happy Catering Co. served samples of its vegetarian egg rolls at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Ken and Candace Harrington serve samples from Emily's Heirloom Poundcakes at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Anna Price, at left, and Jessica Daviston, both of Hoover, Alabama, were among guests at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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The Happy Catering Co. served samples of chicken gnocci at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Richard and Patricia Ryel and Charles Bradford, all of Hoover, Alabama, were among guests at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Lori Rayne and Daniel Bowden of the Lori Rayne Group perform at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Zeel Zaveri of Super Chix talks with Heather Miller, Holly Prim and Michelle Vientos, all of Hoover, Alabama, at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Allison Gurley of the new GRK Street restaurant, at left, talks with Katherine Webster of Mountain Brook, Alabama, and Louise Jones, of Hoover, Alabama, at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Kash Siddiqui, the owner of Jubilee Joe's Cajun Seafood Restaurant, serves "chicken extravaganza" to Karen Mitchell at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Steve and Holly Fondots of the Riverchase community sample some food at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Representatives for Walk-On's Bistreaux & Bar serve samples of the restaurant's food at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Several hundred people came to the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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The crew from R&S Catering won first place for best display at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. They are pictured here with Tynette Lynch, the city of Hoover's director of tourism and hospitality, and Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Several hundred people attended the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. Included among the guests were, from left, Laila and Sebastian Krause and Timothy and Christine Holmes.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Hoover Belles Sarah Claire Sypeck and Lindsey Crider welcome guests to the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Laurie June and Sylvia Calvano, both of the Trace Crossings community, sample some French lavender lemonade from Customs Cafe at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
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Maragaret Watson of The Preserve community samples a slider from Merk's Tavern & Kitchen at the 2021 Taste of Hoover event at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
Several hundred people gathered at Aldridge Gardens Thursday night for the 2021 Taste of Hoover event, sampling food and beverages from 33 Hoover restaurants, catering companies and drink suppliers.
Tynette Lynch, the Aldridge Gardens CEO and director of tourism and hospitality for the city of Hoover, said she was thankful for a dry night less than 24 hours after torrential downpours of rain hit the city.
Workers from the city of Hoover helped clean up storm debris at Aldridge and set up for the annual event, Lynch said.
“We’re just thrilled at the turnout,” Lynch said. “It’s a beautiful night.”
Aldridge sold about 275 tickets for this year’s event and gave out 50 to 60 complimentary tickets to special guests. Lynch said she expects this year’s Taste of Hoover to net about $14,000 for the gardens.
But the big benefit is the exposure it gives to Hoover restaurants and other food and drink providers, she said.
Most of the restaurants had participated before, but there were some newcomers, such as GRK Street, a new Greek spinoff restaurant from Taziki’s Mediterranean Café, and Saw’s BBQ, which hopes to open its first Hoover location in the Riverchase Village shopping center in December.
R&S Catering won the first-place prize for best booth display Thursday night, while second place went to Newk’s Eatery and third place went to The Whole Scoop ice cream shop.
Other participants this year included:
- Back Forty Beer Co.
- Big Whiskey American Restaurant & Bar
- Bruno Hospitality
- CakEffect
- Carrabba’s Italian Grill
- Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery
- Chicken Salad Chick
- Coca-Cola Bottling Co. United
- Customs Café
- Dread River Distilling Co.
- Emily’s Heirloom Poundcakes
- Eugene’s Hot Chicken
- International Wines & Craft Beers
- Jefferson State Community College Culinary and Hospitality Institute
- Jefferson’s
- Jimmy John’s
- Jubilee Joe’s Cajun Seafood Restaurant
- Merk’s Tavern & Kitchen
- Nothing Bundt Cakes
- Red Diamond Coffee & Tea
- Rock N Roll Sushi
- Savoie Catering
- Sprouts Farmers Market
- Super Chix
- Taziki’s Mediterranean Café
- The Happy Catering Co.
- Tre Luna Catering/Tre Luna Bar & Kitchen
- Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux
The Hoover Belles girls service organization welcomed guests as they arrived, and The Lori Rayne Group, made up of Lori Rayne and Daniel Bowden, provided music throughout the night.
