First timers take on Taste of Rosefest
Eat local with You Me Food Review
We've seen it advertised for years, but had never attended. We imagined it was a ritzy-ditzy event with lots of alcohol and little food. We assumed the price would not be a good value for us because we don’t drink. We also guessed it was a fundraiser, but never looked into the organization that hosted it or benefited from the proceeds.
This year, however, we were offered the opportunity to attend and see what Taste of Rosefest is all about. We went, and we had a fantastic time. In fact, we loved it. If you’ve heard of Taste of Rosefest but, like us, have never attended, we want to tell you why we think you might enjoy it, too.
This year, tickets were $40 each in advance or $50 at the gate. This event does feature plenty of wine and beer tastings, and it certainly offers an even better value for people who enjoy drinking. Although water was readily available, the only food vendor offering a non-alcoholic drink was Crave (the local Crave is inside Rosedale Mall, 1595 Highway 36, Space 1025).
We had an opportunity to chat with Jerry Hromatka (Chief Operating Officer for the Rotary's Taste of Rosefest) about this. He agreed that more non-alcoholic beverages would be welcome, so perhaps next year there will be more choices for those of us who don’t drink.
Regardless, we found the ticket price to be fair. There were many local restaurants serving tastings. High Pines Brewing (2704 Snelling Ave.) was serving Bavarian pretzels with smoked Gouda cheese sauce. La Tapatia (2730 E. Snelling Service Dr.) was serving street tacos. Parkway Pizza (1909 Lexington Ave. N.) and Pizza Lucé (2851 Snelling Ave. N.) had a variety of pizza delivered fresh all evening. La Delicious (2158 Rice St.) had an assortment of pastries, and Little Venetian (2900 Rice St.) served pasta with meatballs. Centro (1901 Highway 36) offered delicious tortilla bites, and Axels (2540 Cleveland Ave. N.) served individual skewers of tender meat and fresh veggies. Keys Cafe (1682 Lexington Ave. N.) offered carrot cake and chocolate cake.
The list of participating restaurants was long, and we ate well. The admission price was well worth the cost, even without taking advantage of the wide variety of alcoholic beverages.
The overall feel of Taste of Rosefest is elevated casual. It is a comfortable event in the Muriel Sahlin Arboretum at Central Park (2525 Dale St. N.). We were fortunate with the weather. The evening was a perfect temperature, with no wind and no bugs. There was a large tent housing numerous silent auction prizes, and vendors were spaced comfortably around the perimeter. There were enough tables throughout the event that you could always find a place to set down your plate and eat.
The event is thoughtfully designed to encourage brief conversations with fellow community members as you move from table to table and sample different foods. We had several enjoyable conversations that felt natural, rather than the longer more formal interactions that sometimes come with sit-down fundraising events.
A violinist played songs including Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club,” and a jazz band added to the atmosphere.
Taste of Rosefest is presented by our local Roseville Rotary Club. There are more than 35,000 Rotary clubs worldwide, with each club made up of local people who want to make meaningful impacts in their community.
The Roseville Rotary Club uses funds raised from this event for local organizations and programs like Roseville Areas Senior Programs, AVID - a mentoring program for high school seniors, Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly, as well as international causes like efforts to help eradicate polio. Money is raised not only through ticket sales, but also a sizable silent auction and a 50/50 raffle. (We bought tickets for the raffle but didn’t win. Maybe next year!)
We had an unexpectedly wonderful time at Taste of Rosefest this year. We met neighbors, made new connections, tried a lot of delicious food, met local business owners, listened to great music, and enjoyed a pleasant evening with our community. We are already looking forward to Taste of Rosefest 2027.
Disclosure: You Me Food Review and the editor of The Roseville Reader received complimentary tickets to Taste of Rosefest in exchange for covering the event. The Roseville Reader retained editorial independence and the views expressed in this article are that of You Me Food Review.
ICYMI
Naomi Krueger
