This month, TouchPointe’s Top 10 focuses on why you’ll want to attend this year’s Taste of Ladera at Founders Park, 11 am to 8 pm on Saturday, May 3rd!

1. Get ready to "Rock the Park" Presented by TouchPointe, a Ladera Ranch-based recruiting and consulting firm, the celebration will feature tastes from your favorite restaurants, specialty vendors, live performances, even some celebrity guest appearances.

2. Berlin comes to Ladera - Although great food is the core essence of the Taste of Ladera, we also take pride in bringing our share of live entertainment. This year, we are excited to present music sensation Berlin that will rock the main stage with a play list of their most memorable 80’s hits like "Metro" and "Take My Breath Away." Hollywood U2 and others will also be performing.

3. But let’s not forget our younger consumers! The Taste provides a slew of fun for the kids, including face painting, gold fish toss, crafts, tattoos, dunk tank, fun photos. Prepare to channel your inner rock star for the Guitar Hero Challenge!

4. Think Green - We have our first "Think Green" booth presented by Mrs. Jones 4th grade class at Chaparral Elementary, and of course, don’t forget about the famous gold fish toss which is always a big hit! Mrs. Jones’ students have been busy planning for the event for months.

5. Hey kids, get ready for Ladera’s Got Talent, a competition open to youth in grades 4 thru 12. Participants can share their talents for a great cause and compete to be the most talented in town.

Students must be currently enrolled in a Ladera Ranch school or be a resident of Ladera Ranch. All entry registration and contest rules can be found by visiting www.tasteofladera.com. Auditions will be held on-stage at BeachFire Bar and Grill.

Finalists will compete on-stage throughout the day during the Taste of Ladera. The Grand Prize winners will be announced that evening and perform in front of thousands of screaming fans.

Ladera’s Got Talent is presented by The Taste of Ladera, in association with The Unforgettables Foundation, www.TheUnforgettables.com.

Deadline for entry is March 31st. For info, a list of showcase dates and entry registration, visit www.tasteofladera.com.

6. VIP Tickets - You’ll become an instant fan of the festivities, and it’s all for a good cause!

A limited number of VIP tickets are available online, providing access to party pit at main stage, private VIP pavilion with a private bar, seating and rest rooms. General admission pre-sale tickets are $5.00. For more information, to purchase tickets or become a sponsor, please visit www.tasteofladera.com.

7. Silent Auction – This year’s silent auction, run by The Gavel Group, benefits the Ladera Ranch Education Foundation.

The Silent Auction committee already has over two classrooms filled with auction items from all over the world offering bidders excellent deals.

The Taste of Ladera was conceived as a way to give back to the community. The goal of this event is to unify communities and businesses to produce one extraordinary day that not only drives exposure for local merchants, but also helps raise money for area charities.

8. Visibility - The Taste of Ladera is the ideal venue to add visibility for your business and get the word out. Local merchants are eager to display their amazing restaurants and businesses for the community.

It’s always such a crowd-pleasing experience with the perfect blend of great food, live entertainment and fun for the whole family!

The Ladera Times newspaper is the official publication of the Taste of Ladera and will serve as the program for the event. In addition to the 12,000 copies distributed to every home, business, and apartment complex, 10,000 copies of the Ladera Times will be distributed at the event.

This would be a great benefit for your company. Cox Communications will also be filming the event and producing some promotional spots. Sponsorships are still available offering a variety of media to bring the most visibility to your business. Visit www.tasteofladera.com or contact me personally at 949-218-0866.

9. Hang out with your neighbors – "Every year, our entire street and the adjacent street walk to the Taste of Ladera event and hang out the entire day," said Dan McMillian speaking on behalf of his friends on Main Street and Lewiston (known as Lewmanians).

10. Support the Community - This is the number one reason to be involved.

"Attending the Taste of Ladera helps support the children of Ladera Ranch through donations to the local schools and various youth organizations," says Carol McCormick.

Taste of Ladera is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization set up to benefit various local charities and the schools of Ladera Ranch. Since its inception, Taste of Ladera has been able to raise over 100K for a number of charitable organizations including: The Ladera Ranch Education Foundation, Tinkerbell Guild, Laura’s House, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, The Moms Club of Ladera, The Unforgettables Foundation, and the JDRF!

Taste of Ladera is proud of its continuing effort to support education and other nonprofits with the help of generous donors, volunteers and business relationships that unite to produce one grand celebration.