Indulge your senses and sharpen your business acumen this May 8 as the Duarte Chamber of Commerce hosts its 17th annual Taste of Duarte and Business Expo.

Over 20 restaurants and 40 businesses will be participating this year, in what will surely be another fun-filled night of food, drink, music and more.

“We have a live band and it’s kind of an outdoor festival sale because it’s on grass and in a beautiful courtyard,” says Diane Burckhard, Marketing Director for the Duarte Chamber of Commerce.

Free food and drink samples will be available courtesy of the participating restaurants, which include: Matt Denny’s Ale house, Sushiya, Flame Broiler, California Skewers and many more.

But more than the food tasting, being a business expo, there will also be “quite a few home-based businesses. It’s an opportunity for them to market their business. We have banks and different types of businesses; martial arts, computer business, and the YMCA of course, for the kids,” says Burckhard.

Burckhard explains that the business expo will showcase Duarte’s many networking opportunities, as well as other Duarte business-related programs.

“We have DC Bankers with breakfast mixers, mixed with other chambers in the neighboring communities, and we have workshops on how to expand your business, market your business; free workshops,” says Burckhard.

The band Cold Duck, an 8-piece band led by Jose A. Cuadra and arguably the best dance band in Southern California today, will be providing the night’s music and entertainment, together with raffles, wine and food tasting, and a small car show of the latest models.

The event will be held at the Westminster Gardens at 1420 Santo Domingo, Duarte and tickets are as follows: $35 for adults and children above 13 years old $25 for seniors aged 65+ and children from aged 6-12 Children under 6 enter for free To purchase tickets and to find out more about the event, visit http://www.tasteofduarte.com or call (626) 357-3333. You can also email: [email protected] To learn more about Cold Duck, visit http://www.coldduck.com.