COLUMBUS, Neb. (KOLN) – An annual fundraiser on Saturday, October 12th will benefit the Columbus Chamber and a local nonprofit called “Columbus in Action.”
During a visit to the City of Power and Progress, we learned more about the plans for this event.
The chamber started “Taste of Columbus” back in 2001, first partnering with the Columbus Area United Way.
“From there, the event went through different nonprofits each year, highlighting what they were doing throughout the community,” Chamber President Dawson Brunswick said. “As you can imagine under the name ‘Taste of Columbus,’ we bring in various food and beverage vendors from the local area, and some from outside the area. People come in, taste food offerings, and participate in a silent and live auction.” “
Since 2001, “Taste of Columbus” has raised $1.3 million for both the chamber and the benefiting nonprofit. Brunswick said they split the money in half each year.
This year there will be something new at the event, and it is called the “Farm to Table” dinner. “We’ve always done sips and samples,” Brunswick said. “This year we have 16 drink vendors and 19 food vendors. But to try to innovate and keep people coming back, we’ve introduced the Farm to Table dinner, and we’ve got a number of local producers helping us with that.”
Jordan Classen is one of the producers involved in both the Sips and Samples event and the Farm to Table dinner. “Our business is Classen Land and Cattle and we’re here to do the ‘Taste of Columbus’ event and provide brisket to the people who come by for samples,” Classen said.
Central Community College Agricultural Sciences instructor Wade Hilker is excited to help provide produce for the event, with the help of students at the college. “It’s a great project not only for us to be a part of the community and to be a part of a great event, but the learning is important,” Hilker said. “It helps make that extra connection for students to realize that if they want to grow produce or do agriculture as a career choice, it’s more than just putting a seed in the ground.”
The non-profit organization that will benefit from “Taste of Columbus” this year is “Columbus In Action”. “Our goal is to bring innovative ideas to Columbus, and that includes entertainment, arts and all of those things,” said Columbus in Action Executive Director Nicolette Coble.
The group has been involved in projects such as the creation of the Columbus Innovation Center.
“It’s attached to the Barrel House and the auditor’s office on the other side, and Columbus In Action rents it out for different activities,” Coble said. The Innovation Center is where the “Taste of Columbus” will take place.
Currently, Columbus In Action is focusing on renovating the historic movie theater in downtown Columbus.
“I bought a business in downtown Columbus called Valencia Salon and Spa, and we have a shop there as well,” said Columbus In Action board member Amy Williams. “My business is across the street from the theater. Just seeing that decay made me wonder why we didn’t renovate this crucial piece of history.”
The theater began in the 1920s as a vaudeville theater. Over time it was a cinema, and it closed in 1992. The dream is to turn it into a theater for movies and live events.
“Currently, it seats 750 people if it’s set up as it is now,” Columbus In Action Project President Scott Mueller said. “But since we want more luxury seating, we’ll drop the seating to 500 and maybe have a floating floor for banquette seating there.”
A portion of the money raised from the “Taste of Columbus” will go to the theater project. The annual event is a great chance to help a good cause and eat fresh and local. “And then when we do a band as well, so it’s a full night of events,” Coble said.
It’s safe to say that this upcoming event, “Taste of Columbus,” is designed to make the community an even better place to live. Go to bit.ly/SipsandSamples-Tickets to attend.
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