Food and fun is coming to downtown Shelbyville Friday.

The ninth annual Taste of Shelby County will feature 11 different food vendors, two musical guests, a car show, a petting zoo, bounce houses and lawn games all on the Public Square beginning at 6 p.m.

“Last year everything went … I can’t say it enough … everything went so well last year,” said Shelby County Tourism & Visitor’s Bureau Executive Director Rachael Ackley. “The downtown and how it has been restructured is so befitting of being able to do events like this.”

The family-friendly event will be held for the second time since the downtown redevelopment project was completed in late 2021.

“This year, we are up three more vendors which will fit in there nicely,” said Ackley. “It was great last year and I have no doubt this year will be about the same.”

No pre-purchase food tickets are needed this year. Vendors requested to handle purchases rather than dealing with pre-purchased tickets.

Bourbons and Brews will be on-site again in two locations downtown.

This year’s food vendors, all with local ties to the community, are:

• Spegal’s Prime Cuts
• Snowie of Indy
• Yellow House Pretzels
• Weenies on Wheels
• Kona Ice
• Mel’s Catering
• Baked by Beth
• Dave’s Double Barrel BBQ
• Queen’s Café & Dining
• Dayton’s Family Affair
• Happy Tacos

“There is quite a plethora of decisions to be made Friday night,” said Ackley. “There is lots of good food to be had.”

Musical entertainment will be provided by Southern Indiana Taiko – a Japanese taiko drums performance group (photo).

“They were a huge hit last year,” said Ackley.

The group will perform at 6:15 p.m. and 8 p.m. and conduct a clinic for anyone interested in learning in between performances.

Keith Kocher and Kevin Kocher will take the main stage at 6 p.m. and perform popular music from the 1980s.

In conjunction with the event will be the inaugural Darrin Glessner Memorial Car Show.

“This is a great way to honor Darrin because he deserves it and his family deserves that too because they have been avid supporters of any car show idea that has been thrown out in this community,” said Ackley.

Glessner, a 1986 Shelbyville High School graduate and avid car lover, passed away on Dec. 23, 2022.

Registration for the car show is $20 per car and runs from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Friday. The first 40 cars entered will receive dash plaques. Awards will be given for the top 15 and Best of Show.

Barnyard Party Pals will offer animal encounter experiences.

Bounce houses, lawn games and the Penny Lane VW photo bus also will be available Friday.

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