The Rio Linda/Elverta Chamber of Commerce, co-hosting with the Rio Linda Grange, will present a Blind Pizza Taste Test known as the Pizza Palooza on Friday, Feb. 6. Photo by Olia Danilevich boa Pexels

RIO LINDA, CA (MPG) - Pizza lovers in Rio Linda will have a chance to put their taste buds to the test next month at a community event that mixes friendly competition with local flavor.

The Rio Linda/Elverta Chamber of Commerce, co-hosting with the Rio Linda Grange, will present a Blind Pizza Taste Test known as the Pizza Palooza on Friday, Feb. 6, at the Rio Linda Grange, 1315 G St. Doors open at 6 p.m.

The event will feature pizza from eight local pizza spots, though the restaurants themselves won’t know they are participating. Organizers describe it as a “double-blind” taste test, meaning neither the guests nor the pizza makers will know which slice is which. Attendees will sample the pizza and vote for their favorite.

The pizza place receiving the most votes will earn a one-year membership in the Rio Linda/Elverta Chamber of Commerce.

Tickets are $25 plus tax and include pizza tastings. Guests can dine in at the Grange and enjoy a free scoop of ice cream from Meg’s Creamery or take their pizza to go.

“To do this yourself, it would cost $200 to $250 to buy eight pizzas,” said Mario Pepperoni, a chamber representative who has helped promote the event. “If you do it with us, it’s only $25.”

The Rio Linda Country Leos will be on site serving drinks and ranch dressing, while guests can also try their luck in a 50/50 raffle. A door prize will be provided by Ridgeway Construction.

Winners of the pizza competition will be announced on National Pizza Day, Feb. 9.

The Blind Pizza Taste Test has been promoted on the chamber’s Facebook page with the help of Pepperoni and his culinary counterpart, “Valley Ranch,” a walking bottle of ranch dressing who has become a familiar sight in promotional videos.

“This is a fun event for your friends and family to come out and try some pizza,” Mario Pepperoni said.

In one recent video, Pepperoni joked about his on-screen chemistry with Valley Ranch.

“The cultural issues between me and Valley Ranch are very tricky, it’s very Romeo and Juliet,” Mario Pepperoni said. “But we go together like peanut butter and jelly.”

Beyond the fun, organizers emphasize the event’s community impact as proceeds from Pizza Palooza will directly support several local organizations. The Rio Linda Grange is one of these organizations, known for its annual spring plant sale, which will feature trees this year!

 The Rio Linda Elverta Chamber of Commerce, which works to support local businesses and community efforts and the Country Lions, a local group dedicated to teaching youth responsibility through raising animals, will also be benefiting from the event.

With pizza, prizes and a lighthearted rivalry between sauce and ranch, organizers hope the event will bring the community together for an evening of good food and local support!