Veishea goers can give their taste buds a workout this weekend at Taste of Veishea on Welch Avenue.

“Taste of Veishea is an excellent opportunity to get together and have a good time; to enjoy good food and good music,” said Scott DeSotel, director of Taste of Veishea.

Beginning at 11 a.m. today, Welch Avenue will be closed off to accommodate the numerous attractions of the two-day event. Dozens of different games pack the area between Chamberlain and Hunt streets, including a jousting contest, a 40-foot slide and human darts.

North Welch Avenue will feature about 13 vendors serving delicacies ranging from funnel cakes to pizza. The vendors are the kind normally found at state fairs and carnivals, DeSotel said. “The food is relatively inexpensive,” he said.

The vendors will also sell Pepsi products directly, which is a change from last year. DeSotel said this modification is merely an attempt to “reduce headaches” for the Taste of Veishea committee, which has been working since November to plan the event.

One of the most popular attractions of Taste of Veishea is the Taste Stage, which will feature several bands and vignettes, DeSotel said.

“We’ve brought in a lot of live bands, including two up-and-coming local bands,” said Ben Dohrmann, Veishea entertainment co-chairman.

The Nadas will play tonight at 8, and the Good Things will play Saturday at 8 p.m. The addition of these Ames bands is also a change from last year, Dohrmann said.

Several other rock and blues bands, including One Lard Biscuit from Madison, Wis., will perform throughout the two-day event, along with various skits.

All of the shows on the Taste Stage are free of charge — and Dohrmann said he hopes this will encourage students to come.

“Normally, you would pay $3 to $5 to see some of these bands. You can’t pass up free entertainment during Veishea weekend,” Dohrmann said.

Taste of Veishea will also feature a radio station broadcasting live on both nights. Star 102.5, a Des Moines station, will broadcast an 80s theme show on Friday and 70s music on Saturday night. The radio station will broadcast from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Dohrmann said.

Taste of Veishea was started in 1993 as part of an effort to suppress riots, DeSotel said, and quickly became a Veishea staple. Last year about 100,000 people participated in the event throughout the weekend. Committee members are expecting about the same number this year.