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Maria Chiavatti, owner/chef of Mamma Maria, 1637 E. Passyunk Ave., has participated in Flavors of the Avenue since its inaugural year in 2006.
“It’s good for the avenue,” Chiavatti, whose restaurant has been on East Passyunk for 18 years, said. “It’s something extra. … See we have to work always to make people come because we’re not in the location of Center City.
East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District’s Main Street Manager Renee Gilinger hopes the event will attract about 500 to the avenue for Flavors, which will run noon to 5 p.m. April 24 along East Passyunk from Dickinson to Morris streets with the participating vendors offering tastes from their restaurants that may include pasta dishes, sushi, stromboli, pizza, hummus, salad, desserts and more.
Tickets are $25 for adults at the door or $20 in advance. Kids under age 12 are $10 while age 2 and under are free. Last year’s tickets were priced at $35, which would have included a $10 gift certificate to the avenue, but Gilinger opted to keep things affordable.
“I wanted to make sure the event got back on its feet and got reestablished,” Gilinger said. “That’s what I wanted to keep the price low.”
Those purchasing tickets in advance will also be entered in a drawing to win a “Dine Around East Passyunk Avenue” prize pack of $10 to $20 gift certificates from most of the participating restaurants totaling to a $200 prize to be drawn April 23.
There also will be sights and sounds of the avenue on hand with 12th-and-Wharton-street resident Willie Williams performing with his band, Chad & Willie in addition to fashion shows at 1 and 3 p.m. featuring avenue trends from about 10 shops including Aci Nae, 1928 E. Passyunk Ave.; Metro Men’s Clothing, 1615 E. Passyunk Ave.; and Sweet Jane Vintage and Records, 1742 E. Passyunk Ave.
A craft show from Crafty Balboa will return with more than 30 vendors set up around the fountain, organizer Amy Blasco said.
“It’s amazing how many people just local to this area are in the show,” the resident of Jessup and Morris streets said.
Blasco, who seeks out crafters from across the city, organized Crafty Balboa’s first show for last year’s doo-wop event on the avenue. With a variety of items including jewelry, clothing and art prints, crafters were flooded with positive responses from neighbors.
“I hope we get that same reaction,” she said of the upcoming show
Following an abrupt cancellation in its fourth year, the district was determined to bring it back.
“We had a lot of financial issues last year, but this event is really super important to everyone down here,” Gilinger said.
Last year, there was an increase of $1,100 a month in the street cleaning budget due to Citizens’ Alliance for Better Neighborhood halting services forced the district to reevaluate its finances. The nonprofit typically took care of picking up trash and hanging signs for events. The void forced the district to cancel the event weeks before it was scheduled catching some businesses off guard.
“Obviously last year was a disappointment,” Gilinger said. “Because we skipped a year, everyone is more excited about it this year.”
With that extra enthusiasm, organizers found sponsors to pitch in and vendors to step up and make Flavors bigger than ever.
With 20 local restaurants taking part — more than the estimated dozen that have participated in the past — the avenue is buzzing with excitement.
Isabella Pizza, was expecting to be one of the vendors last year before the cancellation, Michal Martorano, co-owner of the establishment at 1824 E. Passyunk Ave. with ex-husband Steven Martorano, said. She plans to have stromboli on hand including a favorite — shrimp pesto.
“I’m excited about people just coming to the avenue and checking us out,” she said. “I think our food is awesome. When people try us, they love it.”
Obtaining the sponsors early helped to trim costs as rain proofing the festivities and picking up trash afterward aggregated the bulk of the previous expenses. Gold Metal Disposal is taking care of the trash pickup and Gilinger secured a discount for the 60- by 80-foot tent in case Mother Nature attempts to ruin the party.
“To have that luxury to have the event rain or shine is great,” Gilinger said. “We all sleep easier.”
Food and drink costs also were reduced, bringing the event that was estimated at $20,000 previously to $14,000 to $16,000, Gilinger said.
Kensington-based Philadelphia Brewing Company and Cavit Collection will be providing the beer and wine, respectively. And local restaurants were willing to contribute even though they will not be reimbursed for the cost of food as they were in the past when city and state funding were at higher levels.
“We said, ‘this year we can’t do that’ and everyone said ‘no problem,’” Gilinger said of eliminating the reimbursement.
But the restaurants love the fact that they can introduce their food to a new audience, Gilinger added.
“It’s great because it promotes the avenue,” Cathy Lee, co-owner of Le Virtu, 1927 E. Passyunk Ave., said. “It continues to foster the community and independent businesses.”
Lee and her husband Francis Cratil participated in the inaugural Flavors prior to opening their restaurant in ’07, which turned out to be a great marketing tool in promoting the upcoming opening.
“Our work site — everyone could see it in progress,” she said.
The same holds true for current new kids on the block like Fond, 1617 E. Passyunk Ave., and Fuel, 1917 E. Passyunk Ave., who are both participating in their first Flavors.
“The exposure to meet more people [and] to let people know about Fuel,” Sandy Cima, mother of owner Rocco Cima, said of what she is excited about. “It’s something a little different than all the other restaurants around today.”
And with a variety of great restaurants along the strip, there is sure to be something to please everyone’s palate and a chance to sample everything the avenue has to offer.
“If you’re someone who really likes to eat different food, it’s a very eclectic mix.” Gilinger said. SPR
Contact Staff Writer Amanda Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
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