For one night, A Taste of Edmond guests won’t have to choose just one place to eat — they can try them all. The annual fundraising event offers sumptuous samples from dozens of eateries. Taste of Edmond runs 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sunday.

“We have a lot of traditional fare represented, but Edmond is also unique in that we have a lot of ethnic restaurants. Guests will end up getting a taste of cuisine from around the world,” said Maggie Murdock Nichols, Taste of Edmond event committee chairwoman.

In fact, she discovered one of her new favorite restaurants at last year’s event.

“Mt. Everest Cuisines was at Taste last year; I had never heard of them, but they served Indian and Nepali food,” she said. “I met the owners, and they were so sweet and kind. Now, I eat there once, sometimes twice a week.”

Edmond’s Festival Market Place, 26 W. First St., will be filled with more than 35 restaurants featuring everything from barbecue and popular American cuisine to Middle Eastern, Italian, Central American and South Asian fare.

“It’s quite a good deal, and we want people to be able to go as a family, so we try to keep it affordable,” said Murdock Nichols, who is also a longtime Edmond resident. “I’ve been every year for as long as I can remember. It’s a tradition that everyone looks forward to being a part of.”

Tickets are $12 in advance and are available from Edmond merchants listed at libertyfest.org or can be purchased at the event for $17. Children under 10 years old are admitted free. Admission includes food and nonalcoholic beverages.

Taste of Edmond was founded in 1991 and is one of the biggest fundraisers for Edmond’s premier LibertyFest festival and related events. The Independence Day celebration spans two weekends and features patriotic-themed car shows, parades, performances and, of course, fireworks. Proceeds from A Taste of Edmond ticket sales also help finance the nonprofit event.

“You really get a lot out of Taste; not just the food and experience, but you’re giving back to an event the whole community can enjoy,” Murdock Nichols said.

Participating restaurants, including Othello’s Italian Restaurant, Earl’s Rib Palace, Simply Falafel, Ted’s Café Escondido and Hideaway Pizza, among others, donate special dishes to help support LibertyFest. Taste also offers those business owners an opportunity to meet the people in the community and talk about their food in a fun environment.

“You get a one-on-one experience with the restaurant owners because they are usually the ones handing out the food,” Murdock Nichols said. “You get a chance to meet the chef, owner or other workers that you may not get to talk to usually from places you may not have ever tried.”

Visit libertyfest.org/taste-of-edmond. Learn more about LibertyFest events at libertyfest.org.

Print headline: Patriotic palate, A Taste of Edmond allows guests to sample great eclectic fare.

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