2015 Burlington Wine & Food Festival

Hopped out of bed as usual about 4:30 and started to get ready to head to Burlington
for the Wine and Food (in our case food is cheese) Festival.
It was a beautiful clear morning and I was happy about that, since we haven't had many of them so far this year.

I always worry that something will happen that I will be late, or miss the event,  so I headed out early, about 7:30, leaving me plenty of time for the 11:30 AM deadline, should I have a flat etc on the way over.

Of course nothing ever happens when you plan for it, but always does if you don't. :-)

So I was there and set up in plenty of time, so I could then wander around and see who else was there 

I went outside and and took a few pictures of the surroundings, all of which were looking, and feeling, pretty good about then.

I noticed coming through town that the Burlington Farmers Market was open and going strong "place was packed" when I went by.

Picture looking towards the Boat Ramp.

Looking the other way towards the Ferry Dock

As I walked back in I saw that the running event that was going on at the lake was also kicking off, and runners came trotting past our Tent on their way out.
I never saw them return so I am "assuming" they were making a loop not an out and back.:-)

By now the folks who had to prepare food on site were there, firing up their cookers, and getting things ready to go.

As seen here with the "Bluebird BBQ" crew cooking away

I had chopped up a couple of bags of cheese so I was all ready to go with my set up just waiting for them to blow the whistle.
Our tables were on grass and the ground wasn't level so my table wasn't either,
since I am a retired builder it bugged me all day, I needed a 2x4 on the lower end but didn't have one, but I did level my pull-up with a box of toothpicks.

My next door neighbor had gotten there early also, and had a good start on the day but they had a ton of stuff to set up.

I am quite familiar with Catamount Specialties items since several of them I buy and use already, I was introduced to them while working at the Annex in Waterbury where they sell some of their items and have regular tastings of them as well.

I especially like their Chipolte Pepper Jelly

 A little later in the morning, about starting time, my neighbors over in Greensboro showed up from Jasper Hill.
They recently bought all the land behind my house and are building
(almost finished now)
A huge hay Drying Barn , with another building coming soon for storage of the hay.

Picture of the barn

The "1st half" band was about ready to go as well, and after I heard them warming up I was very sorry that I was so close to the bandstand.

They played Jazz music (the Jazz Festival was last week folks , so let it go) PLUS they were really loud so I had a sore throat and a headache by the days end.

Then the whistle blew and in came the folks and it was nonstop from then on.

The guy with the beard is from Wooster MA, he is the rep for Onieda glass ware.
He was not selling anything and no samples but he had provided the Wine Glasses for the event.

The crowd kept coming non stop.

Some of the vendors who were cooking food (like Strong's) ran out of their 1st half supply before the checkered flag dropped ending the 1st half.
You just can't get hot pulled beef sandwiches out of thin air.
Bluebird BBQ stopped serving also.

Before I knew it the 1st half was over and the crowd cleared and we could clean up a bit and get ready for the 2nd half.

People relaxing in the Infinity Wifi Tent during half time.

Not many people outside grazing, and most vendors were just reloading for the 2nd half.

I had one issue it took me a while to get squared away in my brain, I dashed outside at 1/2 time to go to the bathroom, they had a big Porta Potty trailer outside with 2 section's Men and Women, there was a fairly long line of women waiting and hardly any men in our line.

So a couple of women came in with me to use the bathroom at the same time as me, I said you are in the wrong bathroom they said they didn't care they had to pee, so I said well okkkkkkkkkay.
So we "hung out" together for a couple of minutes, I guess I am not up to date with the Millennial thinking so it was feeling pretty weird for me.
If I had gone in theirs my name would probably be in the paper today:-).

Anyway the 2nd half was about to start and the band tuned up and it was about the same as the 1st half but the guitar and trumpet made a lot of nonsensical squeals
(to me anyway)for the next few hr's.
 It will take a couple of days for the humming to leave my head and my throat to get squared away from talking over that.

Anyway the 2nd half was busier with a younger and more robust crowd than the 1st half and it was a steady stream of people the whole time.
Typical view below, sometimes even a bit busier.

About 8:15 it backed off a little but a few people hung around until after 8:30, but then everybody started folding their tents and it was over.

It was a very busy, long, but it was successful and enjoyable day.

The young lady with the bridal veil on below was there with her entourage celebrating her wedding coming up in a couple of weeks, they came by the table earlier , and they were having waaaay to much fun..

Ok I guess thats it from my end till next time.
Jim, Ovr'n Out

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