Photo by Deb Gau From appetizers to desserts, there were a lot of dishes to sample at this year’s Taste of Marshall event on Monday night. Kate Frerich and Linda Buysse were among the more than 300 people who came through the serving lines, deciding what they’d like to try.

MARSHALL — The conference center at Southwest Minnesota State University was crowded, as people wove their way through the serving lines to their seats, and back. With a variety of Marshall area businesses serving up samples of everything from entrees to desserts, it was easy to see why guests came back for seconds.

“It’s kind of nice to try lots of different things,” said Linda Buysse, one of over 300 people who attended Monday’s Taste of Marshall event at SMSU. With the variety of restaurants and food businesses represented, you could try dishes from places you hadn’t been to before.

More than 10 years after its first event, Taste of Marshall was still going strong, said Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce Director Brad Gruhot.

“We have 19 vendors. Nineteen was a record last year, so we tied with last year,” Gruhot said. This year’s Taste of Marshall also had 375 people registered to attend, not counting guests who bought tickets at the door, he said.

“It’s impressive we have this amount of people,” Gruhot said. “The word is getting out about this event.” If crowds or numbers of vendors grow, Taste of Marshall may need to move to an even bigger venue in the future, he said.

Guests at Taste of Marshall could try a wide variety of samples from area restaurants, food service and catering companies, and beverages from businesses like Brau Brothers Brewery and Tall Grass Liquor.

While several of the businesses serving up food and beverages Monday night were returning to Taste of Marshall, there were also newcomers to the event. The Balaton Bay Golf Course clubhouse was represented at the event for the first time. Another business serving at Taste of Marshall, Culture Garden Kitchen, was brand new.

“This is our first event with this company,” said Philip Sitton. Sitton, Kristina Sloboda and Thane Hemish were serving up samples of dishes like a fennel and citrus salad, and red curry. Sitton said Culture Garden Kitchen offers catering and meal preparation, with an emphasis on locally-sourced and organic ingredients.

“The response has been really positive,” he said of being at Taste of Marshall.

Besides promoting area businesses, Gruhot said the timing of Taste of Marshall gives residents a chance to see what seasonal dining options are out there.

“It’s a good way to try their foods for the fall,” he said.