Costumes and cuisine mark annual Viva Vestavia

Halloween may be two days away, but it didn't stop guests from wearing their costumes early at Viva Vestavia on Oct. 29. The treats for the night weren't pieces of candy, but tastes of the city's best restaurants.

In between bringing out new plates and checking in on the restaurant booths, Chamber of Commerce President Karen Odle said the busy event had about 300 people trying out meals, desserts and drinks. The chamber caps the event at 300 to avoid overwhelming the different food providers that gather inside Hollywood Pools.

The restaurants varied from fast casual chains such as Moe's or Newk's to sit-down restaurants such as Ichiban and Bistro V. From Bruster's Ice Cream to All Around Town catering, the variety of tastes in Vestavia Hills was on display.

Guests also voted for their favorite costumes and bid on silent auction items, including a Big Green Egg, photo packages and wind chimes.

Klingler's received the crowd's vote for best presentation, and Snapper Grabbers won for best food.

Proceeds from Viva Vestavia will be used by the Chamber of Commerce Foundation for economic development projects and a scholarship for one Vestavia student.