The first annual “Flavors of Moorestown” festival will take place from Sunday, Feb. 4 through Friday, Feb. 9.
The Moorestown Business Association wants residents to take a taste of local flavors. The first annual “Flavors of Moorestown” will have eateries showcasing dishes at special prices from Sunday Feb. 4 through Friday. Feb. 9.
“It’s just a chance to maybe dine somewhere where they haven’t before and just experience our version of a restaurant week,” MBA Vice President and Event Chair Annette McGuire said.
Some 26 restaurants are participating in the nearly week-long event. McGuire said the participating restaurants constitute a diverse array of options “from the fancy to the simple.” Each restaurant has selected a “signature dish” it will offer at a discounted price.
McGuire said often when residents think about eating out in Moorestown, they think about Main Street. She said part of the MBA’s goal is to get residents out to restaurants in different parts of town, such as the Lenola corridor, Young Avenue and the Moorestown Mall.
“There’s restaurants that people here who have lived in Moorestown forever have never gone to,” McGuire said.
The MBA has tossed around the idea of a restaurant week for quite some time, according to McGuire. She said the MBA began having meetings this past year about how to approach doing a local version of restaurant week and when would be a good time to host the festival. McGuire said it decided the winter was the best fit.
“When it’s typically slow and the weather is terrible, it’s incentive for them to get a little more revenue, and then for the residents, it’s just something exciting that they can get to meet friends and make plans,” McGuire said.
The MBA mailed a letter to every restaurant in town offering the opportunity to participate. McGuire said almost all of the restaurants they reached out to were eager to be a part of “Flavors of Moorestown.”
Each participating restaurant was charged $25 to participate and will receive a sign, so residents know they are part of the festival. McGuire said she plans to gather feedback from each restaurant when she collects all of the signs. She said the MBA’s hope is restaurants will see an uptick in business throughout the festival.
McGuire said residents have been equally enthused to hear about the festival. The MBA’s Facebook event has more than 500 people “interested” in the event.
“People are just hungry for this kind of thing,” McGuire said.
If all goes well, McGuire said the MBA is eager to make “Flavors of Moorestown” an annual event.
For a full list of participating restaurants and their signature dishes, visit moorestownbusiness.com.
