It's not pride or even overconfidence. It's just that it takes more than an invasion of tens of thousands protesters, marchers, sightseers, Secret Service staff and media types from across the globe to ruffle the feathers of the Taste of Colorado.

The organizers of the state's largest event have seen fire (or at least smoke from forest blazes) and they've seen torrential rain during the past 25 years, said Susan Rogers Kark, vice president of the Downtown Denver Partnership in charge of events.

"We've had everything from heat waves to very chilly weather. There was one time - before I started - when we even had snow," she said. During a recent drought year, the food, music and fun fest was cut to three days.

2008 marks Kark's 15th year involved in building and operating the small city called A Taste of Colorado, opening at 4 p.m. today.

If all goes according to plan, that later time (instead of the traditional 11 a.m. start) is the major impact attendees should notice resulting from the intersection of the Democratic National Convention, which ended Thursday, and this year's installment of Taste of Colorado.

"We've often had other events coinciding with ours: baseball and football games, and for two years we had the Denver Grand Prix happening," Kark said.

"The DNC is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences . . . but we didn't want to lose Friday at the Taste completely."

Because the Civic Center park has been the site of permitted protests through Wednesday, a larger-than-usual crew has been on a hurry-up schedule for this extreme makeover. That's where that quarter-century of experience comes in.

The Taste's egalitarian, something-for-everyone mandate hasn't changed. Besides the carnival rides, free gold panning, karaoke stage and crafts booths, attendees may experience The Other White Meat Tour (with grilled pork samples) as well as Coors' iconic Silver Bullet Girls (with, uh, beer).

After entering Dreyers' ice cream eating contest, competitors may enjoy the "polishing action of Extreme Clean toothpaste within a private tooth-brushing station."

Through Monday the entertainment smorgasbord pinballs from '60s rock (Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels) to Eastern European folk singing (Planina) with country and jazz mixed in.

At more than 50 food and beverage booths, visitors may sample the event's iconic edible, roast turkey legs, as well as Caribbean, Indian, Middle Eastern and Mexican fare. Local eateries dishing at the Taste include Bayou Bob's, India's Restaurant, Mustard's Last Stand, Rosa Linda's Mexican Cafe, Alto, The Broker and Shells & Sauce.

Over the years, free admission and entertainment has kept the Taste packed regardless of the economy's ups and downs.

In its first year, the Taste of Colorado had 175,000 visitors watching entertainment on three stages. This year, more than 500,000 attendees are expected to enjoy music and more on five stages through Monday.

Many, Kark hopes, will be visitors staying on after the DNC, plus early arrivals among the 30,000 attendees to the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association gathering that begins Tuesday.

"The Taste is still the big end-of-summer Colorado celebration for a lot of people," Kark said.

Perfect pairings

With five stages and 50 food booths offering multiple menu items, attendees have hundreds of combinations when it comes to mixing their meals and their music. John Lehndorff offers these suggestions for Sunday:

* 10:30 a.m. - Eat: Funnel cake. Listen to: Planina (Heritage Stage)

* 10:40 a.m. - Eat: corn dog. Listen to: Jon Chandler and the Wichitones (Country Stage)

* 10:45 a.m. - Eat: barbecue ribs. Listen to: Gregory Alan Isakov and The Freight (Rock Stage)

* 12:45 p.m. - Eat: steak on a stick. Listen to: Music for kids with Eric West

* 1 p.m. - Eat: corn on the cob. Listen to: Herman's Hermits with Peter Noone (Main Stage)

* 2:35 p.m. - Eat: roasted turkey leg. Listen to: Dotsero (Variety Stage)

* 2:55 p.m. - Eat: kettle corn. Listen to: Timothy P. and Rural Route Three (Country Stage)

* 3:30 p.m. - Eat: chicken-fried steak fingers. Listen to: Rebecca Folsom (Rock Stage)

* 4:30 p.m. - Eat: nachos. Listen to: Denver Taiko (Heritage Stage)

* 6 p.m. - Eat: mini-doughnuts. Listen to: Waves of Peace (Heritage Stage)

* 6:55 p.m. - Eat: cheese enchilada. Listen to: Chris King Band (Country Stage)

* 7:30 p.m. - Eat: cheeseburger. Listen to: Fabulous Thunderbirds (Main Stage)

25th Annual Taste of Colorado

* When: 4-10 p.m. today; 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday- Sunday; 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday

* Where: Civic Center, Denver

* Cost: Free admission; tickets for food, beverages and rides may be purchased - eight tickets for $5 (cash only); $15 wristbands for unlimited, same-day rides in the carnival area

* Information: 303-295-6330; atasteofcolorado.com

Main stage music

The Taste has five stages of entertainment, but the big names are on the main stage:

* Little Feat, 7:30 p.m. today

* Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, 1 p.m. Saturday

* John Waite, 7:30 p.m. Saturday

* Herman's Hermits with Peter Noone, 1 p.m. Sunday

* Fabulous Thunderbirds, 7:30 p.m. Sunday

* Heidi Newfield, 1 p.m. Monday

* Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, 5:30 p.m. Monday

Whet your appetite

The Taste of Colorado menu this year includes:

* Cajun fried alligator

* Jamaican curry goat

* Turkish coffee

* Middle Eastern dolmas (stuffed grape leaves)

* Indian saag paneer (spinach with cheese)

* cactus burrito

* affogato (gelato with espresso)

* tofu rice bowl

* bacon-wrapped jalapeno peppers

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