Syracuse, N.Y. — Grab your stretchy pants and charge your phone: The 27th annual Taste of Syracuse kicks off at 11 a.m. Friday, bringing two full days of food, drinks and live music to downtown Syracuse.
This free festival has become the unofficial start of summer in Central New York. It draws up to 200,000 people each year to Clinton Square and the surrounding streets.
About 100 food and drink vendors will line the blocks, with longtime local favorites alongside 18 first-timers including food trucks, family-owned businesses and a few brand-new restaurants looking to make a name for themselves…