Rising food costs cited as Downtown Springfield Association postpones Taste of SoMo

Rising food costs were among factors that led to the postponement of Taste of SoMo, according to the Downtown Springfield Association, which organizes the annual downtown restaurant sampling event.

The event, in which customers sample menu items from a variety of restaurants, is now slated to take place this fall, with an exact date to be determined, according to a news release. The 2026 iteration of Taste of SoMo had been scheduled for June 21.

DSA board President Brian Mattson cited myriad factors in an email.

"A number of restaurants expressed interest in participating but were hesitant to commit – citing the rising input costs of food and the increasing labor wages," said Mattson. "That, added to DSA's leadership transition and a new host venue – Mother's Backyard – the staff and our sponsors believe that postponing until the fall is the best option for everyone."

Rusty Worley, the DSA's longtime executive director, is scheduled to end his tenure with the organization on June 30, according to past reporting. A new leader has not been announced. 

Regarding Taste of SoMo, Mattson said fewer restaurants were on board at this stage of the event, but he said he was unsure how many had planned to participate at the previously scheduled June date.

Mattson added, "In the meantime, we are discussing different revenue -sharing options with restaurants to increase engagement, while at the same time making plans to bring stability and direction to the DSA."