By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

BIRMINGHAM—Food, music and hundreds of people filled the Cahaba Grand Conference Center on Thursday, Sept. 10 for the eighth edition of the Shelby County Schools Education Foundation’s Taste of Shelby County.

The annual event featured food and beverages from restaurants across the Birmingham area and live music. Proceeds from the event benefit the Shelby County Schools Education Foundation.

“This is the largest crowd by far that we’ve ever had,” Shelby County Schools Education Foundation Development and Community Relations Director Kendall Williams said.

This year’s event featured 35 vendors, including Bellinis, Joe’s Italian, Jim N Nick’s, Jeff State’s Culinary and Hospitality Institute, the Coal Yard, Mr. Harry’s Chickin De-Lux, Good People and more.

“Its the most vendors we’ve ever had,” Williams said, noting the conference center opened additional space to accommodate the event.

Several members of the Shelby County Schools community also added their talents to the mix. The Shelby County Schools Child Nutrition Program set up a booth and students from the culinary arts students from the College and Career Center showed off their work as well.

“We have a wonderful teacher (Leah VanDeren) there,” Shelby County Schools Superintendent Randy Fuller said of the culinary arts program at the College and Career Center. “It’s a wonderful program.”

Live music was performed by Intermission, featuring Josh Arnold and Shelby County High School Assistant Principal Barbara Snyder.

Last year’s Taste of Shelby County raised more than $10,000 for the Shelby County Schools Education Foundation, and with higher attendance numbers than last year, Williams said she expected to see even more money raised.

The Shelby County Schools Education Foundation uses proceeds from the event to fund its many programs, including teacher grants, classroom grants and, new this year, student grants, Williams said.

“It has a lot of meaning,” Fuller said. “The proceeds go to support all of our teachers, students and schools… It’s a wonderful gathering.”