Harford County Public Library Foundation’s Taste of Harford Sells Out For Third Year In A Row, Raises $40,000

A sold-out crowd of 500 guests attended Harford County Public Library Foundation’s Third Annual Taste of Harford May 17 at Vignon Manor Farm in Havre de Grace. A buy local, taste local event, Taste of Harford celebrated the diverse flavors and skills of the Harford County agricultural and culinary communities.

The event raised $40,000 and will support Harford County Public Library programs, resources and services that benefit readers of all ages across the community.

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Taste of Harford showcased a variety of local food and drink partners, including restaurants, farmers, breweries and wineries. Each provided guests with a “taste” of a specialty item, and all participants were encouraged to incorporate locally sourced ingredients in their recipes.

Event Partners of Taste of Harford were Harford County Chamber of Commerce, Harford County Farm Bureau, Harford County Maryland, Restaurant Association of Maryland and Vignon Manor Farm.

“Taste of Harford is truly a celebration of community. We are grateful to the outstanding restaurants, sponsors, partners, volunteers and attendees who came together to make this year’s event such a tremendous success,” said Mary Hastler, CEO of Harford County Public Library. “Not only does this event showcase the remarkable culinary talent and local businesses that make Harford County so special, but it also highlights the importance of supporting ‘Buy Local’ initiatives that strengthen our economy and connect our community. We are proud to celebrate the people and partnerships that continue to make Harford County thrive.”

Guests at Taste of Harford cast votes for their favorite local food and non-alcoholic beverages in the “Best Bite of Harford County” competition. The winners are: Seafood Category, Latitude Seafood Co. for ahi tuna steak and seafood pasta; Meat Category, Evolved Catering for pot sticker and slaw; Vegetarian Category, Bacco Italian Wine Bar for margherita pizza; Soup Category, Pat’s Pizzeria for cream of crab soup; Dessert/Baked Goods, Broom’s Bloom Dairy for ice cream; and Non-Alcoholic Beverage Category, CoffeeBar Bel Air for smores latte and strawberry crunch latte.

Among the “taste” participants were Bacco Italian Wine Bar, BeeSweet Farm, Boards by Dana, Broom’s Bloom Dairy, Burton’s Grill & Bar, Coakley’s Pub, Coffee Coffee, CoffeeBar Bel Air, Creative Chef, Crossroads Bistro, Dimitri EVOO + Kneads Bakery, Evolved Hospitality, Fiore Winery & Distillery, Flavor Cupcakery, Full Circle Boards, Harford Vineyard & Winery, Hopkins Farm Brewery, Island Spice Grille & Lounge, Kent Meadows Farm, Klein’s Family Markets, Latitude Seafood Co., Lib’s Catering/Lib’s Grill, Maison Intimate Catering, Old Line Whiskey One Eleven Main, Newberry Café and Bakery, Pairings Bistro, Passanante’s Home Food Services, Pat’s Pizzeria, Pond View Farm, Slate Farm Brewery, Sweet Kings, Sweet Treats by Jennifer Joy, Tropical Smoothie Café, Vandiver Inn and Watchtower Brewing Company. In addition, farm partners were Grid Iron Hill Farm, Char Hope Foundation and Hickory Chance Beef.

Taste of Harford also featured artisan vendors Aurora Knits, Bella Academy, Chocolate Moonshine on Main, Fire Beard Forge, Heartfelt Florist, HopeWorks Global, Peppers and Pots, Terrarium Therapy and local authors D.A. Jennings and Jennifer Vido.

“Taste of Harford would not be possible without the incredible generosity and support of our sponsors, participating restaurants, community partners, volunteers and our outstanding host venue, Vignon Manor Farm,” said Amber Shrodes, director of philanthropy and community engagement for Harford County Public Library. “Their commitment to celebrating local businesses and investing in our community helped make the 2026 Taste of Harford an extraordinary success. The event came to life through a powerful collaboration of restaurants, sponsors and community partners, all united in celebrating Harford County’s vibrant local food scene and small business community.”

Sponsors of the 2026 Taste of Harford were Headlining Sponsors American Design and Build, American Sentry Solar, Harford County Government and PNC Bank. Supporting Sponsors were Bel Air Window and Door Depot, Committee to Elect Jeff Gahler, Dreamers Travel with Wendy & Andy Doring, Harford County Trash Services, HillSide Lawn Service, Keene Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram, Klein’s Family Markets, Nemphos Braue LLC, Point Breeze Credit Union and Renewal by Anderson. Contributing Sponsors were Friends of Jessica Boyle-Tsottles, Friends of Tony “G” Giangiordano, Gemcraft Homes, Ivy Hill Construction Services, The Kelly Group, Klepsig Plumbing, LLC, MSI Integrative Healthcare, SECU Maryland, Wade Sewell, Board of Education, Thomas M. Wagner & Associates, Inc., and Jay and Linda Van Deusen.

Harford County Public Library Foundation raises funding and awareness to support the Library’s services, resources, capital improvements and access to information anytime, anywhere, for all people living and working in Harford County. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. For more information, visit HCPLonline.org.

Harford County Public Library operates 11 branches located throughout Harford County offering access to ideas that inform, entertain and inspire. Last year the Library interacted with its residents more than 12 million times, borrowing free materials, visiting branches and the website, using free WiFi, and attending classes and events. For more information, visit HCPLonline.org.