I admit that I am kind of stuck in my own ways about 2 things.
- My normal music choices
- My normal (usually Canton) restaurant choices
I stepped out this past weekend (& dragged my semi-bored sister) to try out the 6th Annual Blues, Brews & Barbeque event at Thomas H. Brown Central City Park. Even though I live so close by, I never have been to the park & realize that I have been missing out on the Thursday farmers market & fun H2O Spray Park there.
It was immediately clear to me that even though this event is only 6 years old, the city has listened to concerns & the event has become a well-oiled machine. Parking was easy at a nearby school, & immediately a bus was on hand to drive us up to the party. The park was not too crowded on that busy Saturday afternoon, so I had a nice time finding a place to sit in the eating tent and wandering through the food tents. I even saw ATM machines along the side if anyone needed & the porta johns were in tip-top condition.
OK the best part of course was the FOOD! I loved having variety on hand & even the pickiest eaters would enjoy the menu. The 2 pound Turkey legs at Harold Old Daddy made me reminisce times at the Renaissance Faire. The mini-donuts (topped with chocolate & maple sauces with bacon) from Detroit Mini Donut were crispy with yummy warm sauces. At Grindstone Smokehouse’s tent, sister snagged up some of 1 of her favorites pulled pork (without the bread) while I smothered my ribs in Cherry Traverse City sauce. Maniaci’s Pizza brought pizza & we could also enjoy a taste of Mexico from On The Border. I topped off my ribs with some kettle corn from Harvest Kettle Corn.
After my meal I was curious of the smoker & grill that I saw near the Heaven on a Roll truck (which by the way, did you realize a place so near to us was featured on Food Network’s Carnival Eats?). The guys happily let me sneak a peek at their secret recipe chicken, ribs (which they pulled some right off for me to try), hash brown casserole, & mac & cheese.
There were several domestic & craft beers on tap in the beer tens, & even a few wines for us wine lovers. I usually opt for wine myself, but I do enjoy trying some specialty beers now & then, especially if I can try just a sample first to see which one I like best to order or even buy again in the future. My favorite of the crafts was the Saugatauk Oval Beach Blonde, though the Cheboygan Blood Orange Honey was a fun beer too with the orange flavor kick.
After our lunch and beer rounds, sister & I settled in right on time to catch the Thornetta Davis concert. I loved her sassy songs about the ups & downs of romantic relationships! Next time, I will bring a blanket or chair!
Right between the Thornetta Davis & Josh Gracin concerts, I decided to get up for more drink. & I didn’t realize how many more people had arrived in the time Thornetta was on stage. No way would I make it back to my coveted lawn spot on time! I was so happy to see the whole town gather around to welcome him back home. It’s hard for me to believe that it has been all this time since Josh was on American Idol in 2003. Josh is working on a CD now, & he shared some sneak peeks from those songs & for Josh’s encore, he sang us a medley of Maroon 5!
Capping off the family-friendly night was the largest fireworks show in Westland history to celebrate the 50th birthday year. The fireworks spread so far across the sky, all choreographed to old favorite songs. I am going to be sure to enjoy the park more often, look out for more music & food, & mark my calendar for next summer!
