In Syracuse’s early days, Clinton Square was the center for commerce and social gatherings, with vendors, shops and farmers’ markets lining the crossroads. And every year for two days in June, the square returns to those roots.

Taste of Syracuse is a festival that kicks off the summer by drawing restaurants and musicians from all corners of the city to Clinton Square June 6 and 7. Lines formed for one-dollar samples from Syracuse staples such as Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, appeThaizing and Twin Trees III pizza. The Wings Over Syracuse tent stood alongside an expansive beer garden stall, while patrons such as Joe Wilson flocked to the smell of Limp Lizard’s signature dishes.

“Taste has always been a way to kind of start the summer,” said Wilson, a senior at Colgate University and a Syracuse native. “It’s a tradition for a lot of people from the city and the suburbs nearby.”

Wilson said the event is especially helpful for people that come back to Syracuse just for the summer: not only is it a good excuse to make the trip downtown, but all of the local favorites are in one place.

“If I wanted to eat at all of these places in one day normally, I would have to drive around for hours,” Wilson said. “Having to make one stop like this is perfect. It’s a great way to be welcomed home.”

The festival’s lineup wasn’t limited to restaurants within the city’s borders. Many of the vendors came from surrounding areas, as owners and managers are eager to expand their consumer base.

Rich Leonardo has opened several restaurants in Liverpool, NY, a suburb 10 minutes from Syracuse. People of all ages frequently visit his deli, Bagelicious, especially during lunch hours. But most of them are locals. Leonardo said although he knows how to increase foot traffic during the summer, attracting out-of-town customers is another problem entirely. Taste of Syracuse provided him the perfect opportunity to do so.

“For us, the festival is less about making sales than it is about making new customers,” he said. “Coming away with high sales is obviously great, but bringing more people into the shop is way more valuable.”

Leonardo wasn’t the only one with publicity in mind. Large companies such as Verizon and Geico set up tents to take advantage of the guaranteed foot traffic, while nearby cafés advertised half-off prices in their windows. Military recruiters also gathered among the throngs of customers and vendors at the square. According to the event’s website, more than 175,000 people attended the festival last year, so Taste of Syracuse is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for companies to further establish their brand.

Musicians also recognized that this wasn’t just a normal gig. The June 7 headliner Blues Traveler drew in large crowds, but lesser known artists such as Tim Herron and the Westcott Jug Suckers could perform with the assurance that people will attend.

As customers covered the steps surrounding the Soldiers and Sailors’ Monument, live music radiated from three stages at the edges of the square. The eclectic lineup had a variety of genres such as punk and electronic pop. Nikko Iannuzzo, a recent graduate of Onondaga Community College, came for the music just as much as the food.

“There are always a lot of great concerts over the summer in Upstate New York,” he said. “But the prices here for the food are already cheap, so having the constant music is an awesome bonus. It’s a great combination, and the awesome weather doesn’t hurt.”

Although attendance increased by the hundreds as the Blues Traveler concert approached the stage, the square and adjoining city streets were continuously occupied from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. It was an excuse for many to enjoy the short Syracuse summer.

On a sidewalk near an ice cream tent, two street performers played a cover of Train’s “Soul Sister.” Eamonn Vaughn, a guitarist clad in a black tank top and straw fedora, took a break to wander the makeshift avenues lined with foods and drinks from across his hometown. The shoulder-to-shoulder crowds didn’t bother him.

“You know, it being Syracuse, we don’t have the longest summer,” he said. “It’s nice to enjoy it while it lasts. Taste of Syracuse is our way of doing that, I guess. It’s nice to see all of this in one place, even if it’s just for a weekend.”

Published on June 8, 2014 at 11:13 pm