"Inaugural" Taste of Derby?

[Robin Garr]

I'm confused too. I guess there are TWO events.

Folks, I think I see it now ... and although I have a volunteer role as a judge in Taste of Derby, I am NOT defending this.

But what we've got going is this, as I now see it:

* The original event: Kentucky Derby Festival Inc. sponsors "Taste of Derby Festival" at Slugger Field on April 22.

* The new event: Churchill Downs and Yum sponsor "Taste of Derby" on April 29.

Yes, the similar names make this situation extremely confusing, and I'd be curious to learn whehter the Taste of Derby folks were aware of the potential for confusion and did it anyway, or were unaware and did it cluelessly.

But let's not be vengeful. BOTH events benefit Dare to Care, and that's a worthy beneficiary.

Ok.

"Taste of Derby™"

Has this been trademarked by YUM or has it been trademarked by the organizers?

~ Looks like Robin and I had the same idea...

No vengence involved, but I'm very concerned that this poor marketing effort will lower attendance at the original event. Yum's got money to really publicize this new event, so we can expect to hear alot about it. This is going to cause a huge amount of confusion, with people thinking the original event has been cancelled or prices have gone up ( if we can't keep this straight, what "Joe Blow" going to do?)

What a shame: this could have easily been avoided with a different name for the new event.

Deb

PRESENTED BY YUM! BRANDS

So much for that.

YES the 23rd Annual Dare to Care Food Bank Taste of Derby is taking place-this is NOT the event at Churchill Downs! Dare to Care Food Bank does receive proceeds from The Churchill Downs "The Taste of Derby" event. The Dare to Care Food Bank Taste of Derby is at Slugger Field and IS STILL taking PLACE! Please visit www.tasteofderbyfestival.org. The link will be up and running next Tuesday. Thanks so much! I assist Dare to Care Food Bank with PR and Events.

That's a bad link.

The link will be up and running next Tuesday

The link will be up and running next Tuesday.

It won't be a link until next week.

I agree that this is extremely confusing and very poorly planned.

I believe fault should lie more in who believed it was a good idea to neglect and check whether or not there was already a "Taste of Derby" moniker on another event around the same time. To me, that's the bottom line. I'm simply GLAD there will be the continuing event people in Louisville are familiar and opt to attend.

OOPS - sorry for not reading closely! I hurried there to see if we could be a part of the "real" event.

PRESENTED BY YUM! BRANDS

So much for that.

Cartwheelin' Christ Roger...They aren't the evil incarnate. Love your beer but jeez, give this whole anti-corporation thing a brief rest.

Roger-Call Andrew Hutto! He is in charge of the vendors!! You will love the Dare To Care Food Bank Taste of Derby!!!!

Something in my Blue Jay sized brain tells me that the sky is not really falling. It's unfortunate that -intentional or not- the new (YUM sponsored) food festival took on a similar name to the old food festival but I will speculate that in the end it really won't create too much of a problem. I'm making this assumption primarily on the demographics of the individual events...The original festival is geared primarily to a local "foodie" crowd and I'm sure most advertising will be geared to that demographic. The new festival (based on the price of admission and the timing of the event) seems to be geared more toward corporate visitors (think expense account) or "well healed" locals. At some point some marketing guru in one or both organizations is going figure out a way to ensure there are individual identities, regardless of the similar names

As for the speculation that there won't be significant interest among local Chef's to compete for one of the two "local" slots in the new festival...Ahhhhh does anyone want to put a little cash on that ?

Very confusing indeed! the good thing is that we have a little over 2 months to get the word out. I love the local event, the new event sounds like it could be interesting.
Thanks Caroline for clarifying!

I am very disappointed in Churchill Downs and YUM - the Kentucky Derby Festival has supported Dare to Care through its event, for years and it seems like a slap in the face to create an event with practically the same name, basically the same charitable beneficiary within a week of the original event. Did it occur to anyone to partner with the KDF? Come up with a name so as not to confuse?
Very disappointing to see how these organizations are treating our local festival organization.