Taste tickets available

Taste of Huntington Beach tickets are on sale, and this year organizers are preparing to delight the palate while guarding against fraud.

The Children’s Library, which benefits from the Taste’s proceeds, lost more than $11,000 last year when about 200 fake tickets were sold in May.

Event coordinators have gone through lengthy precautions to make sure that doesn’t happen again, said Matt Liffreing, one of the event coordinators.

“We’re very aware of that, and we’ve taken the necessary precautions,” Liffreing said.

Liffreing wouldn’t disclose the safeguards they have put into place, but said ticket sales are already up from the same time last year.

“We’re really hoping to keep it positive ... it really put a damper on things with the kids’ library,” he said.

The community responded by donating $8,500 to help make up some of the money the library lost, said Elaine Parker, secretary for the Friends of the Children’s Library.

The 10th annual Taste of Huntington Beach is expected to bring together more than 40 restaurants to raise money for the library.

Participants will have the chance to sample their way through samples of beer, wine and food from local restaurants, including longtime Taste participants like Duke’s and Nonna Lucci’s and newcomers RA Sushi and Deli-Licious.

There will also be live entertainment from the Sportin’ Woodies and a silent action with all proceeds going to the library.

Event coordinators plan to hold a separate silent auction before the event in the library for those who can’t make it, Liffreing said.

The library budget was cut from more than $100,000 last year to $22,000 this year, Parker said.

“This year, it’s even more important for us to raise as much money as we can,” Parker said.

The Friends of the Children’s Library sponsors many of the children’s programs and events, including the Festival of Folktales and the Authors Festival, and assists the library with buying new books.

The event is from noon to 4 p.m. April 25 at the Huntington Beach Sports Complex at 18100 Goldenwest St.

Tickets are on sale for $55 until April 4 at www. tastehb.com, the Central Library, Duke’s, the Lazy Dog Cafe, the Longboard Restaurant, and Pub and Market Broiler.

Tickets then go up $65 and can be bought the day of the event.

Participants can also upgrade online to a VIP package for $20 more, which includes early entry, a commemorative T-shirt, a wine glass and an extra ticket for a Hawaiian vacation raffle.