It’s hard for the year’s most looked-forward-to culinary event to keep getting better, but Taste of Tri-Lakes Cares keeps pulling it off.

“We sold out early,” Tri-Lakes Cares Executive Director Haley Chapin said.

The May 13 event drew over 400 attendees. If you count staff, vendors and volunteers, the crowd at the Spruce Mountain Events Center swelled to over 450.

“We’re excited to have all of our closest friends and family and those that are in support of our mission here celebrating with us,” Chapin said. “We have a great group of sponsors this year, probably the most restaurants we’ve had.”

The restaurants represented many of the best of the Trio-Lakes area. In attendance was Wing Danny’s, Uva Wine Bar, Taste of Life Natural Food Market, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, Black Forest Foods Cafe & Deli, Local Landing, I Heart Mac & Cheese, Monument Pies & Grinders, Creative Dining Services (Ent), Jarrito Loco, Three Farm Girls, Papa’s Italian Restaurant, Bourbon Brothers Smokehouse & Tevern and Bennies.

Also in attendance was last year’s Best of Show winner, Axe Sauce & Sausage. Attendees were gifted a bottle of Axe’s special hot sauce.

“I’m hoping that is can become a trend,” Chapin said. “Whoever the winner is, we’re going to work with them to bottle or package something from their restaurant and give that away to all of (next year’s) attendees.”

This year’s event had a few new wrinkles, including a wine draw, a video and a walking magician.

“We try to change it a little each year just to keep it interesting,” Chapin said.

Last year, Tri-Lakes Cares served 1,412 people and distributed 363,226 pounds of food. And food is just the beginning.

“When we support the whole person through education, connection and dignity, we see real transformation,” Director of Programs and Services Molly Stephens wrote. “Our Empowerment Series exists because our neighbors told us what they needed and their growth reminds us why this work matters every day.”

All of that good work begins with the generosity of the Tri-Lakes community.

“We really focus our efforts on individual donors, grants and charitable trust donations, and planned gifts,” Chapin said. “This fundraising event is very important to the successful year that Tri-Lakes Cares is going to have.

-Renee Fitzgerald contributed to this story