Taste of Wheaton canceled for second year in a row

The Wheaton Park District has announced the annual Taste of Wheaton festival has been canceled for a second year in a row.

The summer kickoff food festival, which was originally scheduled for June 3 to 6, was canceled this year due to the Phase 4 "Restore Illinois" restrictions on large gatherings. Other restrictions were expected to additionally limit other parts of the festival, craft fair, business expo, kids' activities and food vendors along Wheaton Avenue.

Also, an ongoing downtown streetscape project on Liberty Drive eliminates the location of the carnival for the Taste. The carnival provided a significant source of revenue and helped to fund the entertainment, rental equipment and city services required to host the event, according to park district officials.

Taste of Wheaton was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival was originally named Cream of Wheaton, a name that still invokes nostalgia.

However, the park district plans to host other events for the summer with reduced capacity. It plans to begin the new Memorial Park Summer Entertainment Series in early June, and the Cosley Zoo Run for the Animals is still set for Saturday, June 5. The zoo run will offer a virtual option for those interested in participating and supporting the zoo from afar.