ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The smell of smoked barbecue and the sounds of live blues music filled downtown Allentown on Saturday as people gathered for the 18th annual Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival along Hamilton Street.
Brittney Ciardi, senior vice president of Allentown Initiatives for the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, said the festival featured about 100 vendors and three stages of live music.
For many attendees, the food was a major draw.
“This is the first time we’ve been down here, so good stuff,” said Jay Loomis, who attended the festival with friends while sampling barbecue from vendors lining Hamilton Street.
Throughout the day, festivalgoers enjoyed live blues performances, craft beverages and barbecue offerings ranging from ribs and pulled pork to specialty sandwiches and other smoked favorites.
Among the vendors was Grumpy’s BBQ Roadhouse, where pitmaster Nate Meixsell spent the day preparing food for the steady stream of visitors.
“It’s a great event year after year. The longer it goes on, the more people find out about it,” Meixsell said.
The festival featured live music, barbecue vendors, craft beverages, artisan booths and family-friendly activities throughout downtown Allentown.
For attendee Marluv Racks, the festival highlights the growth of community events throughout the region.
“Back in my day when I was a kid, there wasn’t really anything like this. But now there’s way more events, there’s way more stuff to do, and as you can see, everybody’s outside. It’s beautiful,” Racks said.
Now in its 18th year, Blues, Brews & Barbecue continues to serve as a celebration of community, bringing together food, music and local culture.