New London — The sound of music mingled with the many subtle scents wafting from nearly every restaurant along the streets of downtown New London on Wednesday evening as nearly 1,000 people wandered about during the annual Spring Food Stroll.

More than 50 restaurants, galleries and shops participated in the stroll, which New London Main Street organizes to offer residents and out-of-towners alike a sample of their fare or goods.

There was curry goat at the new Flava of Jamaica, chicken and sausage gumbo at Daddy Jack’s, clams casino at Copperwood Grill, and Thai chili chicken wings at Lazy Leopard Thai Cafe.

“It’s been great, everyone I’ve seen walk by has been smiling and looks totally happy and content,” New London Main Street Executive Director Annah Perch said.

The Food Stroll helps promote restaurants and shops by attracting scores of people who might be unfamiliar with downtown New London, giving them a taste of what the Whaling City has to offer and enticing them to return, event organizers said.

Though the list of participating venues this year boasted almost three dozen restaurants, several stores and galleries took part as well.

“We do it to get our name out there a little more and to get people to come in and see what we carry in the store,” said Patricia Lennon, manager of Homeward Bound Treasures Thrift Store.

Homeward Bound served its guests pastries made by Seabird Enterprises, which promotes vocational skills for adults with developmental disabilities.

At Zaria & Bella’s Gift Shop on Bank Street, owner Mike Casey said he signed up because his store took part in a similar event at its previous location in upstate New York.

“When I heard that New London does this, I knew I wanted to participate because I know what kind of business I had done because of it in the past,” he said.

At the Eyeglass Lass, owner Siobhan Burns had Chet’s Italian Ice set up an old-fashioned ice cream cart and umbrella in her store to serve guests.

“I’m thrilled to see New London and to see so many people turning out to support town businesses,” Beatrice Birdman of Chet’s Italian Ice said. “It’s such a cool, eclectic group of people and businesses.”

Even though it had a line that seemed to never get shorter, Berry’s Ice Cream & Candy Bar wanted to use the food stroll as an opportunity to get customers behind their social media campaign to get President Barack Obama to visit when he is in New London for the Coast Guard Academy commencement next week.

“It makes sense for him to come to downtown New London on his visit,” Teresa Berry said. “It would be a perfect tie-in to everything happening with the upswing of New London.”

Co-owner Laura Beckham said the shop sent a formal invitation to the White House but is focusing on enticing the president by generating a groundswell with #BringPOTUStoBerrys.

“The president talks about entrepreneurs and small businesses being the root of success for the country,” she said. “If he comes to downtown New London, he will see lots of that.”

c.young@theday.com

Twitter: @ColinAYoung