August 08, 2022
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Taste of Illinois Valley set to begin Thursday in Peru

Event returns to Centennial Park featuring food and craft vendors, live music, kids zone

By Derek Barichello

Jacob White, of Passini's wood fire pizzas cooks a pie into the wood fired oven at the Taste of the Illinois Valley in Centennial Park in Peru on Friday Aug 6. 2021. The three-day festival returns to Centennial Park in Peru beginning Thursday, Aug. 4. (Scott Anderson)

Plenty of sweet smells and good sounds will be coming from Centennial Park in Peru during the Taste of the Illinois Valley beginning Thursday, Aug. 4, and running through Saturday, Aug. 6.

Live music, food and craft vendors and a kids fun zone are part of the festivities. Admission is free.

A 50/50 drawing will be conducted 8 p.m. Saturday.

Extreme air, a rock wall, an obstacle course, a bounce house, two slides, a zipline and a bungee run are part of the kids zone Thursday through Saturday. Craft vendors will be set up Friday and Saturday.

Abbynormal will be on stage 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Alika Arlynn Band will perform 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, then Regal Beagle will play 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, followed by Creedence Revived from 7 to 9 p.m.

Food vendors include Passini’s Wood Fired Pizza, Country Kids sweet corn, Dos Vatos Tacos, Thyme Craft Kitchen, Dog House, Big B BBQ, Flo’s on Pulaski, Lil’ Mad Cafe, Mickey’s Massive Burrito, Didoughts Twisted Pretzel, Maria’s Pizza and Dig Doug’s BBQ.

The Taste of the Illinois Valley returned to Centennial Park in Peru last summer. The festival featuring food and craft vendors, live music and a kids zone will run Thursday, Aug. 4, through Saturday, Aug. 6, at Centennial Park in Peru.