Over 40 local food-and-beverage businesses showcased their diverse refreshments at the Charles River Regional Chamber’s (CRRC) annual ‘Spring Seasonings: A Taste of Our Towns’ event at the Newton Marriott Grand Ballroom on April 7. In its 27th year, the event highlights restaurants from the Chamber’s four communities: Newton, Needham, Watertown, and Wellesley.
A portion of the event’s proceeds will be donated to Three Squares New England, a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about food insecurity and supports hunger-relief organizations across Eastern Massachusetts.
Business owners invited to showcase at the event each had their own station dedicated to their cuisine for serving generous samples to over 600 event attendees.
In her first time setting up a stand at Spring Seasonings, owner of Bettina’s Bakery, Bettina Scemama, said the event was an opportunity for networking, marketing, and exposure. “The array of food was incredible […] there’s very few events I’ve been to where you have so many different amazing foods. I definitely think every single food business brought their A game,” said Scemama.
Scemama’s bakery is inspired by both German and Honduran traditions, and her table featured scones, muffins, and horchata. She noted that restaurant businesses often function on “slim margins,” and prices on items like perishable goods have continued to go up, making operations much more difficult. “We’re going into a very uncertain, hard time, and it was nice to have a community event that cleared my head from the endless worries that I have right now about the economy,” she said.
Maxime Isaac, member services manager at CRRC since 2022, who helped organize the event, said he was amazed seeing people smiling, laughing, and connecting over food. Bringing all of these restaurants under one roof helps them to connect and gain visibility, “A big part of what we do is support local businesses, and so this hits it on the nail,” he said.
Isaac said the a wide array of cuisine options represent the different communities across Newton, Needham, Watertown, and Wellesley, “It’s really about sharing community through food,” he said.
Partnering with Three Squares
Partnering with Three Squares New England for a portion of the evening’s profits was a decision made by the CRRC due to the nonprofit’s dedication to hunger relief within Eastern Massachusetts. “We made sure that we’re picking a nonprofit that highlights and touches all of our communities, [Three Squares New England’s] work is translated across our community,” said Isaac.
Three Squares New England is known for its annual bike ride, Ride for Food, which raises awareness about food insecurity, and invites participation by local organizations that support eliminating hunger, such as food pantries. Proceeds from fundraising events are given back to these organizations.
One in three Massachusetts adults report household food insecurity, according to a Greater Boston Food Bank 2024 press release.
Executive director of Three Squares New England, Marena Burnett, said she felt humbled when the CRRC invited her organization to be the nonprofit partner for the event. “It’s truly a recognition for us to be able to share who we are and the important work that we do with the entire chamber community […] For them to just stop by and see the work that we’re doing and to learn about us, it’s a really special opportunity for us,” she said.
The Ride for Food fundraiser will take place later this year, on the first Sunday in October. Burnett said, “People are excited to think about ‘here’s a tangible way I can help.’ This event has given our team an opportunity to be able to put the idea out there that everybody can help in some way and truly make a difference.”
