U-Matic

Taste Fest - 90
5/25/90

U-Matic S tape containing footage of the 1990 Michigan TasteFest in New Center, shot on May 25th. The tape includes the opening ceremony featuring Mayor Coleman A. Young, followed by some handheld footage of attendees and booths taken as the camera person walked around the festival.

The tape opens with a shot of a row of chefs-some wearing aprons, shirts, or buttons identifying their restaurants-lined up holding the ceremonial ribbon near the intersection of West Grand Boulevard and Second Avenue. Then Mayor Coleman A. Young is filmed as he approaches the group.

Ann Lang, president of the New Center Area Council, then steps up a podium, and welcomes the crowd to the second annual Michigan TasteFest. She then introduces chairman of the festival, Mike Irwin.

Irwin addresses the crowd next. He mentions that $350 million was recently spent to redevelop the New Center. He also names Taste of Chicago as a inspiration for the event. He then lists several of the major performers scheduled for the weekend--Alexander Zonjic, Norma Jean Bell, The Sun Messengers, Kirk Whalum, the Spinners, Mitch Ryder, and the Association. He states that they anticipate 100,000 attendees over the four-day Memorial Day weekend, and he thanks all of the event's volunteers.

Lang then returns to the podium, where she recognizes Bill O'Keefe of General Motors, and Dave Benford of Henry Ford Hospital. She then introduces Mayor Coleman A. Young for the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Young also briefly talks about New Centers' renovations, and mentions Hart Plaza's concurrent blues and barbeque festival. He then reflects on how windy the TasteFest was the previous year. In reference to his birthday the previous day, he also jokes that he just turned 39 years old.

Henry Ford Hospital executive chef Joe Beato then presents a birthday cake to Young, and leans the crowd in singing "Happy Birthday." The first pieces cut for the camera, and Lang announces that Young will have the official first taste of the TasteFest.

The chefs are then joined by Young, as the crowd counts down for the ribbon cutting. After the ribbon is cut, balloons are released, and the camera follows them as the fly up beside the Fisher Building.

Lang then mentions several of the day's events before the recording cuts away.

The recording resumes with footage of Young surrounded by reporters with cameras, microphones, and tape recorders as he's asked questions. However it is difficult to hear the exchanges above the crowd noise.

The remainder of the tape consists of hand-held footage of festival. The cameraperson walks west along the south side of West Grand Boulevard, filming people walking about, and tents with tickets and food. Signs for Northwestern Airlines, Dudek Delicatessen Foods, Savino Italian Sorbet, STAR OF DETROIT, Louisiana Creole Gumbo, WJZZ, McBains, Westside Deil, and Frito Lay are visible on the tents the camera passes. The recording ends just before the camera reaches Third Avenue.

The recording is on a 3M UCA 30S U-Matic S tape with a handwritten 3M label on its top, marked "Taste Fest 5/25/90." The tape is housed within a black plastic latching case with a matching label.