CLAYTON, Mo. – Operators of the annual Taste of St. Louis festival are preparing for a move to a new location outside the City of St. Louis. During a working session of the Clayton Board of Aldermen on Tuesday, the city offered a verbal agreement to event organizers to bring the popular food festival to Clayton this August.
Chuck Justus, the co-director of the event, emphasized that the potential relocation is not attributed to safety concerns. “We’ve had no security issues in the City of St. Louis,” he said.
Justus highlighted the success of the St. Louis Art Fair as a contributing factor to his belief that Clayton would be a more suitable venue for the festival. He noted that Clayton’s central location could provide greater opportunities to attract both visitors and sponsorships.
The Taste of St. Louis had most recently taken place at Ballpark Village. In 2019, the festival returned to the City of St. Louis after being held in Chesterfield for four years.
“There’s a lot more paperwork involved in getting an event produced in the City of St. Louis,” Justus said, noting the logistical challenges.
Amer Abouwardah, owner of Oceano Bistro, expressed his support for the festival, having participated in it several times. “I like the Taste of St. Louis, and I believe Clayton’s central location will help attract festival-goers and restaurateurs from throughout the area,” he said.
During the meeting, festival operators addressed questions from Clayton aldermen regarding the costs associated with security and street closures. Festival operators said proceeds from the festival would cover those costs. The next step will involve the city drafting an agreement that the board could vote on in March.
Justus said all proceeds from the festival will be used to cover event costs and make donations to charity. He encourages residents and potential sponsors to support free festivals so they can continue to operate and bring enjoyment to visitors.