Howard County Restaurant Weeks is back Aug. 12-25

Howard County Restaurant and Craft Beverages Weeks is back, Aug. 12-25.

Featuring 41 restaurants and craft breweries, the two-week event is a celebration showcasing the exceptional culinary expertise of the county’s local restaurants, according to Visit Howard County.

The concept of Restaurant Week originated in New York City in the early nineties, according to Visit Howard County. In 2008, Howard County introduced its own version of Restaurant Weeks to support and uplift its locally-owned and operated restaurants during their slower seasons, which typically occur after the winter holidays and around summer vacations.

During restaurant weeks, restaurants have the freedom to create bundles of appetizers, combos and family-style meal options as part of their offerings, which will allow all residents to partake in the culinary festivities, according to Visit Howard County. Additionally, residents can enter to win a $100 gift card from one of the participating restaurants.

Eric Teisch, senior director of business development at Visit Howard County said the weeks serve as a way to bring residents back into restaurants during a slower time of the year.

“We determined that there are times throughout the year where restaurants could really benefit from having increased exposure, increased marketing support and an opportunity to bring in more diners,” he said. “During the summertime, people tend to go elsewhere to travel for vacation, so [restaurant weeks] is a way to bring them back in.”

Teisch said he encourages residents to try new restaurants during restaurant weeks.

“There’s 41 plus participating locations, try a new one, check it out and try different aspects of the county,” he said. “There’s something for everyone and we encourage everyone to try something new.”

For more information and a list of participating restaurants, visit visithowardcounty.com .