Bites from local eateries. New flavors, fun for the kids, and a way to support the neighborhood. Taste of the Seaport has long been a marquee day on the fall calendar, and this year’s event on November 11 was no exception. As in previous years, the downtown food festival brought together members of the Seaport and surrounding communities, with bites from a slew of neighboring restaurants on offer for ticket holders. The mission? To raise funds for donation to local schools, Spruce Street School PS 397 and Peck Slip School PS 343.

About Spruce Street School
Spruce Street is a Pre-K-8 public school serving the growing community of Lower Manhattan, engaging students in research and authentic inquiry-based experiences. Teachers use the school’s immediate surroundings as inspiration – for example, with students learning about the history of the neighborhood, and studying the journey of food from seed to markets in partnership with a local urban farm.

Here, Nancy Harris, Principal of Spruce Street School, shares more about how Taste of the Seaport supports her students.

What does the Taste of the Seaport event mean for your school?
Taste of the Seaport is essentially like a giant block party for our community. It is the one opportunity each year for students, staff, families, and our wider community to come together in support of our school. Throughout all the changes and challenges in our school’s 15 years, this has been a positive constant experience for our community.

How does the school utilize the funds raised by this annual event?
At Spruce Street, Taste of the Seaport is one of our largest fundraisers. Together with our PTA, Taste of the Seaport subsidizes enrichment programs for students, professional learning opportunities for teachers, and vital resources including technology.

What would you like visitors to the Seaport to know about the school and your students?
Spruce Street is celebrating its 15th school year! We have been inspired by and impacting the Lower Manhattan landscape since 2009. Spruce Street has been home to thousands of students over the years and our first group of students are now in college.

What do you enjoy most about Taste of the Seaport?
This event is one of the rare opportunities I have to join the community, without managing the event itself! It is amazing to bring my friends and family together with my school community, all against the incredible backdrop of the Seaport.

What are your favorite foods to enjoy at the Seaport?
I am a vegetarian, so always enjoy anything involving cheese, veggies, or pasta/bread. Ending the afternoon with something sweet is always a great option.

For more information on Taste of the Seaport, visit tasteoftheseaport.org. To learn more about Spruce Street School, visit sprucestreetnyc.org.