Chamber pushes Taste of Newport to October

Young Chang

NEWPORT BEACH -- Taste of Newport officials announced Wednesday that

instead of wining and dining as planned this weekend, they will mourn

with the rest of the country and save celebrations for later.

Postponed until the first weekend of October, the 13th annual event

originally planned for this Friday through Sunday was rescheduled out of

respect to the thousands estimated killed by Tuesday’s terrorist attacks

on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a rural area of Pennsylvania.

“I think we’re just trying to be sensitive,” said Richard Luehrs,

president and chief executive of the Newport Harbor Area Chamber of

Commerce. “I’ve instructed our staff that we’re in a crisis operation in

trying to reschedule everything that needs to be done.”

More than 70,000 people were expected at the food, wine and music

festival. Luehrs said he doesn’t know why that figure would decrease in

early October, especially with more than three weeks to publicize the

change.

Entertainment acts, including KC & the Sunshine Band, The Bangles and

Toto, are still confirmed to perform. The more than 30 local restaurants

and 15 California wineries are also still set to serve samplings of their

menus. And if a couple restaurants pull out, event organizers will

replace them with eateries that couldn’t participate this weekend because

of timing issues.

Banners were still hanging on street corners Wednesday announcing the

former incorrect dates for the event. Marketing changes will mean

additional costs, Luehrs said.

“Everyone will need to be recontacted and so it’s a monumental task,

but we think we can get it done,” Luehrs said.

Jimmy Sabatino, owner of Sabatino’s Lido Shipyard Sausage Co. in

Newport Beach, said he supports the chamber’s decision to postpone the

event.

“I think it’s absolutely appropriate because at this time,

celebrations are really not what’s going on in the country,” he said.

“We’re all mourning over the losses of people.”

A longtime Taste presence, Sabatino added that his restaurant will

definitely still participate in October because the event is what’s kept

them in business.

Ten years ago, the restaurant seated 30 customers. Today, it’s

expanded to 175 seats because Taste visitors have become regulars of

their sausage-specialty fare.

“We’re a hidden-away restaurant,” Sabatino admitted. “But people got

to know us from the event. If I had to single out one event that promoted

us the best, it would be Taste of Newport.”

Luehrs said the chamber decided to postpone the Newport Beach

tradition and not cancel it because the Taste serves not only restaurants

and their patrons, but charities, including Share Our Selves, the

Assistance League of Newport Mesa and the Boy Scout Sea Base.

“It’s a win-win for everybody, and if it was a win-win on Sept. 14,

it’ll be a win-win on Oct. 5,” Luehrs said.

* Young Chang writes features. She may be reached at (949) 574-4268 or

by e-mail at o7 young.chang@latimes.comf7 .