Kaufman Astoria Studios (iStock)
March 19, 2018 By Jackie Strawbridge
The Chocolate Factory has announced that its 13th annual Taste of LIC will return to the Kaufman Astoria Studios backlot on June 5.
This will be the second year that the event is held in the Kaufman Astoria backlot, located on 36th Street between 35th and 34th Avenues. It had been held at Gantry Plaza State Park for several years prior.
The location was changed in order to accommodate chefs looking to use grills and other cooking stations that were restricted at Gantry. This allowed chefs to, for example, make tortillas fresh for the event, which Chocolate Factory Executive Director Sheila Lewandowski said she looks forward to again this year.
Lewandowski said it was too early to share a lineup of participating restaurants and brewers or event performers, but added that they are “planning some new ways of presenting food and drinks.”
“We’re in conversations with some of the restaurants and brewers to get ideas from them, what feels good to them,” Lewandowski said. “We don’t just like to do the traditional thing.”
Organizers are shooting for around 1,000 attendees this year, which Lewandowski called “the sweet spot.”
“It’s crowded but you can still move,” she said.
Online ticket sales will start on May 1st, according to Lewandowski.
6 Comments
I remember when this was an affordable, enjoyable, and lic located event! Too bad, like so many other great events, the proprietors have gotten greedy, moving the event outside of its namesake, raising prices and over selling tickets to make it crowded, uncomfortable and frustrating to attend. Have fun at the taste of astoria and apologies to all the vendors who think this will actually help them drum up new business.
You can’t have the Taste of LIC in Astoria. You just can’t.
It’s unaffordable, totally not worth it, such money grubbers, In the past $150 VIP Tix, $75 to get In early, $65 tix, by the time you do get In no food and super long lines, food cold, portions, they simply ran out of food and long wait times . All that money to have tortillas, Go to Taqueria Sante Fe if you want good cheap tortillas, Totally Not worth it.
Is this the Taste of LIC or Astoria?
Money, money, money. The Chocolate Factory seems to have an insatiable hunger for moolah.
Great event, getting hungry just thinking about it. Hopefully winter will be over by then.