See What's in Store at Taste of Orland Park

ORLAND PARK, IL — An Orland Park favorite returns Friday, ready to debut some fresh features for fans.

The Taste of Orland Park opens at 5 p.m. Friday, with food from 20 local eateries, and live music. This year's 13th annual three-day festival includes new restaurants and activities for a can't-miss weekend.

The restaurants include Baby's Cheesesteak & Lemonade, Beggars Pizza, Blissful Banana Cafe, the Brass Tap, Cafe Gaston, Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants, El Famous Burrito, El Pueblito, Granite City Food & Brewery, Mo's Chinese Kitchen and 94 West Grille & Tavern. The lineup also includes Nothing Bundt Cakes, Oberweis Dairy, Orland Park Bakery, Papa Joe's Italian Restaurant, Q Restaurant, RoccoVino's Italian Restaurant, Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, Square Celt Ale House & Grill and Wooden Paddle Pizza.

WHEN

• Friday, August 5: 5 to 11 p.m.
  
• Saturday, August 6: 1 to 11 p.m.
• Sunday, August 7: 1 to 9 p.m.

WHERE

• Orland Park Village Center, 14700 South Ravinia Avenue

Orland Park Mayor Dan McLaughlin has issued a challenge for this year's Taste — to reduce the amount of trash sent to landfills by offering on-site sorting for fest generated disposables. Dubbed "Zero Waste at the Taste," the mayor's initiative hopes to reduce the amount of trash generated by the village's three day food and music fest that draws more than 40,000 people to the Orland Park Village Center.

Taste of Orland Park 2015 generated more than 180 cubic yards of waste over three days. Village officials hope to drastically reduce that amount by inviting event attendees to sort their disposables into specially marked bins.

Keep an eye out for collection sites that will offer three options — composting, recycling or landfill. Compostable products will include alcohol cups used by restaurants, all paper products, plant based cutlery, paper plates and serving boats. Leftover food waste will go into the compostable bins. All pop and water bottles sold by restaurants will go into the recycling bins. Only items that cannot be recycled or composted will go into the landfill bins.

For the Vietnam Vets in Your Life

Orland Park is a community partner for the United States Department of Defense's observation of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War during the commemorative period from 2015 to 2017. Events are being held across the country to recognize, thank and honor Vietnam Veterans and their families and Orland Park has hosted a number of programs for area Vietnam Veterans.

During the Taste on Sunday, August 7, Orland Park will host a "Welcome Home" concert for Vietnam Veterans. Creedence Revived, a Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band, will perform on the main stage. A ceremony will precede the concert beginning at 12:20 p.m. with the presentation of colors by area veterans organizations, the unfurling of a 20-by-30 foot American flag and participation by the Ridgewood Cycle Association. The concert begins at 1 p.m.

ALSO: Get a glimpse of entertainment, activities in store hour-by-hour, AND know where to find it all.