Sip, Snack, Save The Bay: A Night at Taste of The Bay
By: Emily DeFreitas, Graphic Design & Communications intern
Save The Bay’s annual Taste of The Bay is a celebration of the flavors, sights, and sounds of Narragansett Bay held in conjunction with our annual meeting. For many years now, guests have had the opportunity to enjoy delicious food and drink from local restaurants, shellfishermen, bakeries, breweries, and wineries while taking in beautiful scenery and live music.
This year was my first time attending, and I wanted to share my experiences during the event to highlight just how memorable the evening was and why it’s worth attending year after year. I also spoke with new and returning vendors to get their thoughts on what makes this event so meaningful.
The evening began with Save The Bay’s annual meeting, which was a great experience. It was so interesting and inspiring getting to hear about the organization’s accomplishments over the past year and its ambitious goals for the future, as well as recognizing the many people who made these accomplishments possible. Save The Bay still has many goals to achieve in the years to come, and it is clear that both staff and volunteers are deeply committed to continuing that mission.
As the meeting wrapped up, vendors were already set up so that the Taste of The Bay could begin. A long line of eager guests already stretched through the parking lot up to 30 minutes before the event started, arriving early to get the first “taste” of what the evening had in store. Once the doors opened, the venue came alive with conversation, laughter, live music by “Fat Free Bob” Tomasson, and the smells of freshly prepared dishes and drinks.
Among the first vendors I visited was Ben & Jerry’s. Although the company has participated before, it was the first time their employees tabling the booth, Emma and Jessica, had attended. “We didn’t really know what to expect,” they said. “The food looks really good, everything smells so good, especially the chowder.” Their sundae bar, offering six flavors and a variety of toppings, was a definite crowd-pleaser. They also mentioned how excited they were to learn more about Save The Bay and discover local businesses.
GG’s Pretzels has been attending for over five years, and co-owner Gina shared how much she looks forward to returning. “It’s always a great event. We love supporting Save The Bay. I like meeting all of the people that come for the meeting and then the general public that come after,” she said. “As a small business, it’s always good for brand awareness. I was setting up and I heard someone say, ‘Oh, I remember them from last year,’ and that always makes me feel good.” Their soft pretzel poppers, available in salt and cinnamon sugar, had guests excited to try a delicious pretzel the second they saw her table.
Another returning vendor was Grey Sail Brewing and South County Distillers, represented by Jamie Welsh. “This is my second year working it,” she said, “but I believe we’ve done it three times now. The community, the vendors, everyone’s super nice. We always have a good time.” I got to try their strawberry and blueberry lemonade vodkas, which I’ll definitely be on the lookout for in stores. I wouldn’t have known about these products if it weren’t for Taste of The Bay, where it was so easy to try local products you would have never tried or heard about otherwise. It was definitely a highlight from the many guests I talked with.
“It’s a nice way for everyone to try our food and see how well we cook,” said Michelle from McGrath Clambakes and Catering, who has been part of the event for around five years. “It’s always nice getting to see all the other vendors.” They were serving up delicious ginger-seared scallops with a citrus reduction, which were a huge hit with the guests wanting to try them and go back for seconds throughout the entire evening.
Bryan Benedict of Moniker Brewery, who has been coming to this event for the past four years, described and summarized the event best: “This event is in one of the best settings in Rhode Island, and it’s benefiting what I believe is one of the most important missions in the state.”
I was also able to meet a few new faces at the event, like VELO Vodka, a Boston-based, mother-daughter-owned company. “Oh, the view is spectacular, I had never seen it before,” said Colleen Eyges, handing out samples of their new, stunning, color-changing VELO Butterfly Vodka that changes from a natural blue/purple color to a pastel pink with a splash of lemonade. “We’re excited to get the new product out, especially with people who are foodies and like to experience these kinds of events. We love doing these charitable events. We’re super lucky to be here.”
Spencer Morris, the owner of Sowams Cider Works located in Warren, was another first-time vendor at Taste of The Bay. “I like to be in the company of food-related enterprises, and I also want to support a very important and strategic partner in shaping the environment of our state,” he said. “I’ve met some wonderful people. I’ve been assured that many of them will come visit my place of business in downtown Warren.”
Representing another new addition, Luis Olmo, one of the co-owners of Island Coquito, said, “I’m very excited to see other vendors and for people to taste our island coquito, which is very delicious. Everybody loves our non-dairy version of it. It’s known as a winter drink, but it does well in summer too.” I can confirm, along with the many other guests who got to try Island Coquito for themselves, that this drink was a very delicious year-round hit.
Granny Squibb’s Iced Tea, whose business has a longstanding relationship with Save The Bay, was excited to be back another year. When I asked James why Granny Squibb’s loves attending this event, he replied, “People can try our product and a lot of other local products from the state risk-free. They don’t have to buy anything or have to wonder if they’re gonna like it when they get home. They can try it right here, and then they know what to buy when they go to the store.”
James’ reply echoed the statement many others and I had from trying various vendors we wouldn’t have heard of or tried otherwise if it wasn’t for Taste of The Bay. Not only do you get to try delicious food and drink from around Naragannset Bay, you get to discover new favorites to scout out at stores or go to for a tasty dinner.
Each conversation I had throughout the evening just reinforced how special this event really is. This event isn’t just about amazing food and drink, although there’s plenty of that. Taste of The Bay offers a rare opportunity to experience the best of Rhode Island’s food, drink, and community all in one place.
Whether it’s your first time attending or your fifth, there’s something unique about Taste of The Bay that you don’t see anywhere else. It’s not just a tasting event. It’s a celebration of shared purpose, local pride, and environmental stewardship. Whether you’re a newcomer like me or a yearly attendee, it’s an unforgettable night that leaves you already looking forward to the next Taste of The Bay.