The Taste of Downtown hosting venue seen here was Bar Harbor Bank & Trust at 188 Main St., whose staffers, from left, included Diane Anderson, commercial loan assistant, and Cathy Donaher, the bank's AVP branch relationship manager, here joining Leslie Bois of Nashua and Sam Slattery of Hudson, both representatives of Stella Blue, 70 East Pearl St., a fine dining establishment known for its casual atmosphere. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

NASHUA – After a one-year hiatus, the Taste of Downtown returned to Main Street in Nashua on June 17, bringing hundreds of visitors downtown to sample bites and beverages while exploring local businesses.

Two beverage companies, 16 retailers that served as host venues, and 14 restaurants supported the event, one sponsored by the Downtown Nashua Association (DNA), a nonprofit with a focus on promoting the City of Nashua.

“Taste of Downtown is a great way to highlight the incredible restaurants, retailers and community partners that make downtown such a vibrant destination,” said Alyssa O’Mara, executive director of the DNA.

“The event is about more than great food — it encourages people to explore downtown, discover new businesses and support the local establishments that help our community thrive.”

Ticketed participants toted maps spotlighting hosting venues, sites that included NBT Bank of Nashua, Rockland Trust, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, Fresh of Nashua and Nashua Masonic Temple, along with Nashua Coins & Collectibles, The Spot, Retro Rollo’s Collectibles and Bound Together.

Joanne's Kitchen at 219 Main St, serving Taste of Downtown patrons from a prime spot near the front door of The Spot, 217 Main St., a site deemed "Nashua's Creative Hub," was well represented by the enterprises' principals, from left, Tyler Tufts from Joanne's Kitchen, Whitney Swain, Joanne's Kitchen owner, Michael McDowell and Laura McDowell, owners of The Spot and motivators of The Spot's live music shows, art displays, craft coffee, community connections and kava drinks. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

The aluminum trays of meatballs, paper plates of sandwich fixings, mini tacos, tapas and servings of fruity dessert bars were set up in mini restaurants mostly located within retail stores with roomy aisles or spacious bank lobbies.

The hospitality of sample setups, equipment including warming trays, beverage dispensers, vessels of warm gravy and trays for appetizers that were erected at the hosting venues enabled regular dinner service to continue uninterrupted at the sponsoring restaurants.

Taste of Downtown foodies continued to make their way for samples to PRG Rugs, Designwares, Purple Finch Properties and Fortin Gage, along with Scontsas Fine Jewelry to select their choice of mini appetizers, tidbits of desserts and dollops of dinner fare.

Outdoors, those talented, or not, plunked the ivories during the launch of Downtown Pianos, a coinciding event that centered around two freshly tuned upright pianos donated on June 17 for public use through October by Darrell’s Music Hall, 75 Main St.

Each piano was hand painted by young artists from Nashua PAL or the YMCA of Greater Nashua.

Popular among the Taste of Downtown locations serving up some tasty samples were these participants, from left, Nadia Smith and her mom, Kendra Smith, owner of Soel Sistas Cafe, Catering & Food Truck, 30 Temple St., seen here with Shayla Mihajlica, branch manager of NBT Bank of Nashua, one of the 16 hosting locations for Taste of Downtown. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

K.C. Darrell, whose son Adam Darrell mostly runs the family business of more than 50 years, commented about the installation of the pianos during the Taste of Downtown festivities.

“The pianos are there so anybody can sit down and play their hearts out, ” K.C. said. “We love seeing the happy faces of people who play.”

The pair of Downtown Pianos, one in Renaissance Park alongside Main Street, and the other at the corner of Main and East Pearl streets.

Thanks went out from O’Mara to everyone who supported the event, one whose funds went to ongoing programs and projects at the DNA.

Participating restaurants included Casa Vieja, Stella Blu, Odd Fellows Brewing Co., Campo Enoteca and Union Public House, along with Surf, Soel Sistas Cafe and Local Street Eats.

Stevan and Valentine, left and right, from Casa Vieja Mexican Grill at 96 Main St., prepare a Mexican sampler at a hosting venue inside Rockland Trust, 88 Main St., accompanied by Shoba Selvaraj, center left, a Rockland Trust banker, and Alka Sen, branch manager of Rockland Trust. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

In addition, the Taste of Downtown attendees visited The Peddler’s Daughter, Joanne’s Kitchen, Pun Thai Kitchen and jajaBelle’s.

“With Taste of Downtown back on the activities menu and the Downtown Pianos returning to our streets, we’re looking forward to a vibrant summer in Downtown Nashua,” O’Mara added.

More information on Taste of Downtown or other upcoming festivals is available online at downtownnashua.org.

Sweet treats from jajaBelle's Coffee & Bakeshop at 143 Main St., are served at the hosting venue inside Retro Rollo's Collectibles, 176 Main St., by these presenters, from left, jajaBelle's Jessica de Pontbriand, Terry Magleano of Retro Rollo's Collectibles, and Jackie Ambrogio, all of Nashua. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

The launch of Downtown Pianos on June 17 is enjoyed by Jef Carlson, a Nashua resident and drummer, pausing here to play one of two upright pianos supplied for public use until October by Darrell's Music Hall, a family business of more than 50 years located at 75 Main St. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

Folks enjoying one of two newly installed Downtown Pianos supplied on June 17 by Darrell's Music Hall as a part of the evening's Taste of Downtown festivities, include these visitors, from left, Evan Quinlan and Michael Quinlan of Hollis and Nashuans Tara Levine, Pricilla Colon and Clark Quinlan, a seasoned musician who contributed his melodies at the piano located on Main Street at East Pearl. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON