OKLAHOMA CITY – The Festival of the Arts Food Committee has selected 28 food vendors to offer delectable culinary arts during the Arts Council of Oklahoma City’s six-day community celebration of the arts.

The 11-member committee held a three-day blind taste-testing jury Jan. 14 to 16 to determine which food items and food vendors will be offered at the 44th annual Festival of the Arts, held April 20 to 25.

The committee’s goal is to provide a wide variety of high-quality, multi-cultural, gourmet and affordable foods that are generally not available to the public.

"We had an outstanding group of restaurants apply for Festival this year and we now have one of the best food line-ups I have seen in some time,” said Stephen Kovash, Festival of the Arts Food Committee co-chair and volunteer.

With up to 750,000 people expected to attend Festival of the Arts this spring, the committee has a tremendous responsibility of sampling and agreeing upon the menu. Committee members evaluate the food items based on taste, presentation, cost, portion size and previous sales, while keeping in mind the need for unique, diverse dining options.

In 2010, the International Food Row will feature old favorites like Indian Tacos, Craig and Carter’s Fish Tacos, and Bodacious Burritos. The signature dessert Strawberries Newport also returns but will introduce two new food items: chocolate covered strawberries and shaved ice with strawberry purée.

New this year, the committee selected several new vendors with original food items such as Sammy Pizza’s calzone and chocolate chip pizza, Deep Fork Grill’s prime rib slider and drunken fries, Café do Brasil’s chicken stroganoff and vegetarian rice and black beans, Helmut Strudel’s beef wellington and Bavarian strudel.

“I'm so excited about the selection. We wanted to provide festival-goers a diverse and exciting menu and we certainly have,” said Kovash. “During Festival of the Arts, I'm going to have to ride my bicycle to the event to work off all the wonderful food I’ll be eating."

All food items are priced at $8 or less to keep meals affordable for families. In addition, each food vendor is paired with a local non-profit agency, so each bite supports the arts in central Oklahoma.

Since 1967, the Arts Council of Oklahoma City’s annual Festival of the Arts has been the city’s “rite of spring.” The 44th annual Festival of the Arts, April 20-25, promises to continue the tradition. Event co-chairs for the 2010 Festival of the Arts are Sandra Cassimus and John Robberson. The Arts Council of Oklahoma City is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the arts and the community together. Each year, Arts Council events, programs and services reach nearly one million residents and visitors to our community. For more information, visit www.ArtsCouncilOKC.com or call 405-270-4848.