2016 Taste of Omaha 6/3 - 6/5

Omaha's dining, arts and music scene

Moderators: Coyote, nebugeater, Brad, Omaha Cowboy, BRoss

Post Reply
User avatar
skinzfan23
City Council
Posts: 9136
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 11:26 am
Location: Omaha/Bellevue

2016 Taste of Omaha 6/3 - 6/5

Post by skinzfan23 »

Taste of Omaha: New events, but food remains the star
Chefs Clayton Chapman of The Grey Plume and Joel Mahr of Lot 2 will face off in the first “Battle for the Toque,” one of a handful of new, live events that will be part of the city’s 19th annual Taste of Omaha, which takes place this weekend.

Last year was the first year the festival expanded across the Missouri River, and Mancuso said the organizers learned some lessons, mainly that festival goers wanted to traverse the Bob Kerrey Bridge and have some activities on the Iowa side of the river once they got there. This year, there will be activities in Iowa on Saturday only instead of all weekend, including live music, demonstrations and helicopter rides.
Main acts this year:
Josh Dorr
9 p.m. Friday, Nebraska Lottery Harbor

The Trammps
6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday, Rotella’s Bakery River Stage

Otis Day & The Knights
9 p.m. Saturday, Nebraska Lottery Harbor
swgiust
Library Board
Posts: 256
Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2010 10:17 am
Location: Omaha Metro Area

Re: 2016 Taste of Omaha 6/3 - 6/5

Post by swgiust »

This is one of my favorite Omaha summer events.

I hope the vendors listened to me after last years Taste.

It is TASTE of Omaha, not WHOLE MEAL of Omaha. A $ 15 rack of ribs or a $ 12 whole pizza is not a taste!

Hope to break my record of 12 different things eaten!
User avatar
skinzfan23
City Council
Posts: 9136
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 11:26 am
Location: Omaha/Bellevue

Re: 2016 Taste of Omaha 6/3 - 6/5

Post by skinzfan23 »

swgiust wrote:This is one of my favorite Omaha summer events.

I hope the vendors listened to me after last years Taste.

It is TASTE of Omaha, not WHOLE MEAL of Omaha. A $ 15 rack of ribs or a $ 12 whole pizza is not a taste!

Hope to break my record of 12 different things eaten!
I know a lot of people don't like this festival, but I have said it every year....this is my favorite festival in Omaha. You have free music and entertainment and food you can purchase. And back again this year are helicopter rides on the CB side of the river.

I agree the portions are huge and cost a ton. I would love it if they would be 1/2 the size so you could truly sample a bunch of different vendors.

If you play it right you can eat for pretty cheap. A lot of times the BBQ and pizza places will offer discounts on any food they have remaining. I remember one year we got a whole pizza for $5.

I also really love the layout and the fact that they continue to use the downtown parks as they were intended to draw people back to the river. It doesn't seem quite as crowded as the Summer Arts Festival b/c it is more spread out.
User avatar
nativeomahan
County Board
Posts: 5316
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2004 2:46 pm
Location: Omaha and Puerto Vallarta

Re: 2016 Taste of Omaha 6/3 - 6/5

Post by nativeomahan »

swgiust wrote:This is one of my favorite Omaha summer events.

I hope the vendors listened to me after last years Taste.

It is TASTE of Omaha, not WHOLE MEAL of Omaha. A $ 15 rack of ribs or a $ 12 whole pizza is not a taste!

Hope to break my record of 12 different things eaten!
I completely agree. I love this event. And portion sizes should be small, with prices to match. This would allow patrons to sample foods from as many different restaurants as possible.
ThatGuy
Human Relations
Posts: 607
Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2007 12:10 am

Re: 2016 Taste of Omaha 6/3 - 6/5

Post by ThatGuy »

swgiust wrote:This is one of my favorite Omaha summer events.

I hope the vendors listened to me after last years Taste.

It is TASTE of Omaha, not WHOLE MEAL of Omaha. A $ 15 rack of ribs or a $ 12 whole pizza is not a taste!

Hope to break my record of 12 different things eaten!
Fat chance. People have been complaining about this for at least 10 yrs and nothing ever changes. It's why we stopped going quite awhile ago.
User avatar
nativeomahan
County Board
Posts: 5316
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2004 2:46 pm
Location: Omaha and Puerto Vallarta

Re: 2016 Taste of Omaha 6/3 - 6/5

Post by nativeomahan »

We went down tonight (Friday evening) trying to beat the storm. The place was a mob scene. We barely found a parking spot (in the Parks Service lot) and started our noshing before the winds whipped up and the sky darkened. We decided to hightail it not ten minutes before the sky opened.
But with unused food tickets we will be back tomorrow!
twiztid1
Home Owners Association
Posts: 192
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 7:45 pm
Location: Omaha Metro Area

Re: 2016 Taste of Omaha 6/3 - 6/5

Post by twiztid1 »

It's nice to see they've expanded alcohol beyond Barefoot wine, Miller, and Coors. But I think it should still be a lot better.
User avatar
Brad
City Council
Posts: 1033312
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:03 pm
Location: Omaha, NE
Contact:

Re: 2016 Taste of Omaha 6/3 - 6/5

Post by Brad »

Just reading a bunch of tweets about taste of Omaha... What the heck happened tonight? Royal Rumble break out?
User avatar
Coyote
City Council
Posts: 32938
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:18 am
Location: Aksarben Village
Contact:

Re: 2016 Taste of Omaha 6/3 - 6/5

Post by Coyote »

Brad wrote:Just reading a bunch of tweets about taste of Omaha... What the heck happened tonight? Royal Rumble break out?
MeanStreets has been tweeting out fights for the past two hours...
User avatar
Omaha Cowboy
The Don
Posts: 1013167
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2004 5:31 am
Location: West Omaha

Re: 2016 Taste of Omaha 6/3 - 6/5

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

FWIW- A friend of mine told me this morning she tried to go to Taste of Omaha last night, and it was a crowded madhouse with no parking..

Perhaps Taste of Omaha should be expanded to a 2 week or even 1 month event...

Ciao..LiO...Peace
Go Cowboys!
User avatar
Linkin5
County Board
Posts: 4535
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2004 7:59 pm

Re: 2016 Taste of Omaha 6/3 - 6/5

Post by Linkin5 »

My best suggest for people that haven't been to Taste of Omaha, don't go. It is crowded, most places are out of their best food, and prices are ridiculous.
User avatar
skinzfan23
City Council
Posts: 9136
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 11:26 am
Location: Omaha/Bellevue

Re: 2016 Taste of Omaha 6/3 - 6/5

Post by skinzfan23 »

Didn't know where to put this but we were on 480 right after this happened and they completely closed it.

Motorcyclist dies after being catapulted off I-480, landing near Taste of Omaha festival
A La Vista man was killed Sunday when he was catapulted off his motorcycle and over the side of an elevated section of Interstate 480 in downtown Omaha, landing near festivalgoers at the Heartland of America Park.
Trips
Library Board
Posts: 261
Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2014 1:50 pm

Re: 2016 Taste of Omaha 6/3 - 6/5

Post by Trips »

Here is all of the Mean Streets Omaha tweets from Saturday about the Taste of Omaha.

River Rescue: Bob Carey Bridge 705 Riverfront Drive. One party in the water. OFD: B1, T1, M1, R33, River Boat 1

Bunch of hooligans fighting under I-480 near Rick's Boatyard.

Backup enroute to Taste of Omaha for 50 parties fighting. Turning into a moving desturbence. Beginning to push parties out.

Now a lost 5 year old at the Taste of Omaha.

Also a lost 13 year old at Taste of Omaha with a hysterical mother yelling at Officers.

@MeanStreetsOMA Fight #59 at Taste of Omaha? Broke out right In front of us and 3 @OmahaPolice officers. #dumb

Delta unit calling in more fights at Taste of Omaha. Parties running North and West.

Medics now enroute to Taste of Omaha for heat exposure. OFD: T1, M5

10 Delta units at Taste of Omaha requesting @OPDABLE1 to help clear out the crowd however it is unavailable.

OFD M1 T1 staging in the area of Ricks Boatyard due to numerous fights.

OPD shutting down several streets & directing traffic around the riverfront to try to push people out. Requesting all traffic units citywide

@MeanStreetsOMA @OPDABLE1 yeah. There's a lot happenin down here right now. Stuck in the line of cars.Officers directing traffic now.

There's so many cops down here! It's crazy to see. Stay safe #opd

We even have horse cops!

Crowd Disturbances: -Taste of Omaha (Still)

Most of the parking lots near Ricks Boatyard are clearing out. Traffic starting to lighten slightly. No more large disturbance as of now.

Several OPD Officers returning to service from the area of Ricks Boatyard. Majority of people have left. Sounds like a couple arrests made

Trespassing: TD Ameritrade Park, 1200 Mike Fahey St. Security says juveniles are running around the park and urinating on the statues.
User avatar
nativeomahan
County Board
Posts: 5316
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2004 2:46 pm
Location: Omaha and Puerto Vallarta

Re: 2016 Taste of Omaha 6/3 - 6/5

Post by nativeomahan »

We went Friday night, just before the storms rolled through. Parked at the National Park Service lot after nothing closer was available. Decent food, but we left early before the rains hit.
Went back Sunday about Noon. Large crowds of happy, well behaved people. The two of us spent a total of about $25 and left full. I don't like the setup with a bunch of non food related |expletive| booths linking the Landing to Heartland park. And far too little shade. But there was a nice variety of restaurants.
They ought to repeat this in September, when the weather might be better. And limit it to vendors actually selling items you can ingest. My 2 cents.
User avatar
skinzfan23
City Council
Posts: 9136
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 11:26 am
Location: Omaha/Bellevue

Re: 2016 Taste of Omaha 6/3 - 6/5

Post by skinzfan23 »

According to the article from the World Herald, the 2018 Taste of Omaha set attendance records with over 125,000 people attending. The weather was nearly perfect for this year.
Post Reply