A group of about 75 Cincinnati clergy, representing a cross section of churches and faiths, called for a general boycott of the city's annual feast, Taste of Cincinnati.

        At a news conference Friday in University Heights, the group, called Concerned Clergy, encouraged Cincinnatians to engage in peaceful protests during the Memorial Day weekend event to demonstrate the need for the city to begin resolving its racial problems.

        The group also requested that the private sector fund Cincinnati Community Action Now, a group of community leaders recently formed by Mayor Charlie Luken. The clergy asked for a beginning investment of $50 million from businesses.

        It is unclear how many people will participate in the boycott or demonstration, organizers said.

        “If this commission is to have even a ghost of a chance, it must be heavily funded from the private sector from its inception,” said Tyrone Yates, former vice mayor of Cincinnati and a supporter of the clergy group.

        Many mainline religions are represented by Concerned Clergy, including Catholics, Presbyterians, United Methodists, Unitarians and Jews, says Joellen Grady, executive director of the Council of Christian Communions, which hosted the meeting.

        But the clergy in the group do not speak for their denominations, Ms. Grady added. Many of the clergy are not members of the council.

        “They want people to come down and quietly stand with signs,” Ms. Grady said. “Nobody would buy food.”

        Mr. Luken has declared that Taste of Cincinnati will go on as planned and vowed not to let civil unrest disrupt any more downtown festivals. When told Friday of the planned Taste boycott, Mr. Luken said: “I don't get it. What sense does it make to hurt the economy, to hurt people's jobs?

        “What's next? Who is now going to tell us when we can have a festival?”

        In 21 years of Taste of Cincinnati, there has never been a public disturbance, said Raymond L. Buse III, a spokesman for the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce, which co-sponsors it.

        Taste of Cincinnati draws about 500,000 people over three days and pumps about $25.3 million into Cincinnati's economy.

        It is one of the city's three biggest events, behind Riverfest and Oktoberfest, and is arguably one of its most diverse.

        Mr. Luken said he has spent hours with members of the religious community this week, and they all seemed supportive of the event.

        “We have big plans for Taste,” he said. “I hope people come out for Taste in record numbers.”

        The Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati was not asked to participate in the boycott, says spokesman Dan Andriacco. He doesn't expect the Archdiocese, which has more than 500,000 members in southern Ohio, would endorse the action.

        Although he did not return phone calls seeking comment Friday, the Rev. Damon Lynch III, pastor of New Prospect Baptist Church, has said recently that Taste of Cincinnati should not be held in the current climate.

        “What is the taste of Cincinnati? Right now the taste of Cincinnati is sour,” he said last week.

        “It's poor police relations and international mockery. I think that's the real taste we need to focus on. Until that taste changes, people can eat at home.”

        Other members of Concerned Clergy apologized in advance to vendors who might suffer financially from the boycott.

        “We felt it was appropriate to declare a boycott at this time,” said the Rev. Clarence Wallace, pastor of Carmel Presbyterian Church in Avondale, adding that progress is stagnant on race issues and “we want to move forward.”

        The clergy's call for a boycott comes a day after one of the festival's headline acts, Midnight Star, canceled its planned performance. A spokesman for the R&B group said in a written statement,

        “The community feels that their concerns continue to be overlooked by city leaders and that this is not the time to have a celebration.”

        Midnight Star, one of Cincinnati's best-known bands, had been scheduled to close the annual Memorial Day weekend event Monday night, May 28.

        Mr. Buse, of the Chamber of Commerce, said organizers are seeking a replacement for the R&B group.

        “Taste of Cincinnati has had an outstanding reputation locally and nationally for bringing people from all cultures, backgrounds and walks of life together,” Mr. Buse said. “It will stay true to that mission even if it means facing some adversity.”

        Cincinnati Black United Front spokespeople said the group did not influence Midnight Star's decision, but said it will support the call for a boycott.

        Enquirer reporters Robert Anglen and Richelle Thompson contributed to this story.

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