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North Shore Taco Fest brings the fun

Celebrate Highwood welcomed back North Shore Taco Fest July 19-22, where the region's most talked about taco-centric restaurants, caterers and food trucks came together to offer a selection of taco creations for the thousands of visitors in attendance.

Now in its third year, the event piggybacked on the historic 50th annual Highwood Days carnival and honored three men instrumental in its success: Gabriel Viti, Bill Pigotti and Lenny Innocenzi.

Each taco vendor shared their unique take on the ever-popular taco and competed for the best taco in town, a distinguished trophy and bragging rights. Attendees voted for their favorites and selected the following winners in each category:

• Best Authentic Taco: La Plancha Loca from Highland Park for their Al Pastor Taco (second year in a row)

• Best Unique Taco: Elsie Mae's Canning and Pies from Kenosha, Wisconsin, for their Dessert Tacos

• Best Healthy Taco: The Otherdoor from Lake Bluff, for their Duck Confit Taco

Celebrate Highwood also hosted its second North Shore Taco 5K Run & Walk on July 21, which raised more than $7,000 for Highland Park-Highwood Legal Aid Clinic. Out of almost 250 runners, Vadim Racu of Highland Park came in at 19:21, with Kyle Levin of Lake Forest second at 19:30. All participants received a run T-shirt and complimentary taco and soft drink, beer or margarita.

"The support that we receive from Celebrate Highwood and all of the participants in the North Shore Taco 5K Run and Walk plays a vital role in carrying out an important piece of our mission: assuring access to justice.

"For our most vulnerable neighbors, the Highland Park Highwood Legal Aid Clinic is the only way to receive professional legal advice or access to an attorney. The success of the race is a reflection of the importance of our work, and we are so grateful," said Susan Shulman, executive director of the Highland Park-Highwood Legal Aid Clinic.

Celebrate Highwood North Shore Taco Fest sponsors included Chiro One, Fields Auto Group, Goslings Rum, Lunazul Tequila, Master of Mixes, Midwest Gutter Guard, Passanantes Home Food Service, Power Home Remodeling, Renewal by Andersen and Wyndham Vacation Ownership.

For more information on North Shore Taco Fest and the Taco Run, visit www.celebratehighwood.org/highwood-days-north-shore-taco-fest.

For more information on all of Celebrate Highwood's 2018 series of family-friendly festivals and events, visit www.celebratehighwood.org or www.facebook.com/celebratehighwood.

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