Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Food, fun and live entertainment are on the agenda for Saturday's ninth annual Taste of South Routt in Oak Creek.

The festive summer tradition typically boasts some of the best food in the county. It also has craft and merchant booths, live music and fun and games for people of all ages.

The event began as a way for local businesses to give back to their customers, said David Bonfiglio, owner of Oak Creek's Bonfiglio Drug. The Taste of South Routt also is a great opportunity to catch up with old friends, he said.

The South Routt Economic Development Council is sponsoring a beer garden. Food from area Mexican, Chinese, Italian and American restaurants will be available. The food booths and beer garden will be cash only.

Taste of South Routt attendees can participate in a special railroad safety program called Operation Lifesaver, in which people sit in a simulated train engine to see what an engineer sees.

Bonfiglio said local band 3-Wire and local musician Cary Kamperschroer will play a variety of music styles, including African drumming, salsa and bluegrass. The Soroco High School marching band will do its traditional musical chairs activity again this year.

"That was great fun. It was a huge hit," he said.

Performers from the Para--digm Theater will act out a scene from "The Rocky Horror Pic------ture Show."

The Oak Creek Fire Pro--tection District will provide the Safety Saurus, an ambulance that has been converted into a dinosaur. The Safety Saurus promotes injury-prevention awareness and education. Firefighters also will bring back the Wall of Water, a nice way for the younger crowds to cool off, Bonfiglio said.

The dunking booth will be back, and there will be plenty of games and other activities for children, including face painting and appearances by Yee-Ha the Cowpoke Clown and Smokey the Bear, Bonfiglio said.

There also will be a silent auction, and door prizes will be given throughout the day.

-- To call Alexis DeLaCruz, call 871-4234

or e-mail adelacruz@steamboatpilot.com