This year's annual Downtown Dinner Dash in Jefferson City will have a theme: the Roaring Twenties. Come Thursday, dames and gents can put on their best Gatsby glad rags and explore the downtown district.
Ten venues are partaking in the Dash this year, which is more than double the participating restaurants a year ago. In addition, three of those venues - Prison Brews, Sapphires and Vines - aren't downtown, but will be accessible by trolley.
During the Dash, attendees pay $45 to visit three restaurants and eat one small plate and sip one drink at each venue. Following the three-course meal is an after party at the Downtown Cinema, where attendees can finish the night with a dessert and drink.
"It's a great way for us to be able to showcase the different options in downtown," said Stephanie Bell, president of Downtown Jefferson City. "So we hope to get new people into the doors of those restaurants, and that the experience will make them repeat customers for our downtown businesses. That's the ultimate goal."
The Dinner Dash has been hosted by Downtown Jefferson City on-and-off for more than 13 years. In the past, one appetizer and a sit-down meal was offered. But ever since they changed the arrangement to three plates from three different restaurants, people have been more responsive.
"I think people really enjoy the new format that we are doing now because they get to go to more places and have different things," said Sheila Smith, chairwoman of the Dinner Dash. "So I think the restaurants like it because it makes it easy, they can have three options. ... overall it's been a good change."
Ticket sales are paid to participating restaurants, with a bit left over to provide for the after-party desserts. The purpose of the event is not to raise funds, Bell said, but to highlight the city's downtown venues.
Last year, the Dinner Dash sold out at 100 tickets. This year, more than 100 participants are expected to dress in their best flapper frocks and dapper caps to join the Dash.
"We chose the Roaring Twenties just because the after party is going to be at the cinema. And with the atmosphere of the cinema, we figured it would be fitting to choose that as the theme," Smith said. "Hopefully people will get dressed up and have a fun evening."