Taste of Vienna is set to return this weekend, putting a spotlight on local restaurants while also raising funds for the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department (Vienna VFD).
The 13th annual food festival will take over the fire department’s parking lot at 400 Center Street South from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. this Saturday (April 25).
Approximately 8,000 people visited last year’s festival, according to Lauren Stancampiano, who has organized the event with her husband and fellow Vienna VFD volunteer Anthony for 15 years now. Taste of Vienna went on hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Held rain or shine (the current forecast suggests rain is more likely this year), Taste of Vienna is intentionally scheduled at the end of April to encourage residents to get back out into the community “after being cooped up during the colder months,” Stancampiano says.
“We broke even the first year and since then it keeps getting bigger and bigger!” she told FFXnow by email. “… The event is a win-win for the fire department, as well as the restaurants. We are raising money to support our department, and the restaurants are able to showcase their offerings to the town.”
This year, organizers encouraged all participating restaurants to offer a tasting option on their menu to make it easier for attendees to “try a little bit of everything.”
The Vienna VFD uses proceeds from the festival to fund upkeep of its station as well as regular purchases of new vehicles, including fire engines and ambulances.
According to Stancampiano, the VFD purchases a new fire engine for career staff paid by the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department (FCFRD) roughly every five years. A new engine currently costs between $1.2 and $1.4 million, and takes three years to produce.
“We fundraise to help make these purchases possible,” Stancampiano said. “We are so lucky to be part of an amazing town and can’t wait to get everyone together for good food, fun, and raising money for a good cause!”
This year’s Taste of Vienna will feature 31 food vendor stalls, along with 10 food trucks and a beer and wine tent where drinks will be poured by volunteers recruited by the Vienna Business Association, one of the event’s sponsors.
A map showing all of the participants can be found on the event page.
“Every food vendor spot is officially SOLD OUT, making this an incredible showcase of everything Vienna has to offer,” said Lydia Russo, a Vienna VFD volunteer who also founded the food-insecurity-focused nonprofit One Neighborhood Foundation. “From amazing local eats to a vibrant community atmosphere, it’s shaping up to be our best year yet.”
Along with sampling food and drinks from local establishments, festival visitors will be treated to live music and a return of Carnegie Diner and Cafe’s OMG Chocolate Cake-Eating Contest.
“Building on the success of last year’s debut, this year’s competition will feature 8-10 contestants going head-to-head in a fast-paced, no-holds-barred cake showdown that’s sure to delight festivalgoers,” said a spokesperson for Carnegie Diner, which has been serving diners at 501 Maple Avenue West since June 2024.
Starting at 2:10 on the festival’s main stage, contestants will race to finish a slice of the restaurant’s signature 24-layer chocolate cake with $500 in cash, a T-shirt and a $1,000 gift card for Carnegie going to the winner. Second and third-place finishers receive T-shirts and $350 or $150 gift cards.
All participants in the contest receive event T-shirts and $100 gift cards.
This year’s scheduled musical performances are:
- 11 a.m.: Five Leaf Clovers
- 12:45 p.m.: Surfabilly Vibe
- 3:05 p.m.: (After)Math
- 4:50 p.m.: Orbiting Zero
- 6 p.m. The Coozies
“As a volunteer with the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, it means a lot to see the community come together for this event,” Russo said. “All proceeds directly support our department and help ensure our station is always prepared to serve and protect our neighbors. We can’t wait to see everyone there!”
