By Thomas Sellers Jr.

The Seventh Annual Taste of Millington presented by the Millington Rotary Club and sponsored by Patriot Bank was scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m.

But the doors of the North 82 Gymnasium opened shortly after 5 p.m. on April 23 with the parking lot already halfway filled. Rotary Club members started taking tickets and welcomed the public to visit the 27 vendors for some treats and snacks.

With entertainment and city leaders greeting patrons between food stops, Taste of Millington organizers said the 2013 event was a success. And it wasn’t even 6 p.m. yet.

Mother Ski Ciesielska brought her son Bear Fox and daughter Cathy Fox to sample booths like Billie Gene’s Kakery and Parkway. With cupcakes and chicken in hand, the family made the rounds.

They might have stood in line with Aldermen like Larry Dagen and Mike Caruthers. Also spotted at the event were city manager Thomas Christie, Mayor Terry Jones and Shelby County Commissioner Terry Roland.

The leaders grabbed a bit to eat, chatted with residents and visited informational booths like Young Life, Confidential Care and Mid-South Convoy of Hope.

While learning bout their causes to enrich the community, the smell of steak flew through the air from the booth of Wyatt Earp’s Steak House.

Some establishments like Parkway used cuteness to offer deals to patrons. Micah Edwards, 4, was handing out coupons.

Other resturants like Tops and Lenny’s brought their trademark items that kept a steady flow at their booths.

The proceeds of Taste of Millington go to Rotary Club scholarships and community outreach efforts. Other sponsors were Carey’s Body Shop, Commodore Villages, First South Financial, FUMC-Millington, Holiday Inn, Reed Family Dentisty, The Millington Star, First Citizens Bank and The University of Memphis.