Millbrae Celebrates 47th Annual Labor Day Weekend Festival, The “Last Blast of Summer”, This Weekend

Let the good times roll as we celebrate #47! The festive spirit and flavor of the “Big Easy” is coming to the Bay Area! For some sun-splashed, Mardi Gras-style fun this Labor Day weekend, head to lively, pulsating downtown Millbrae for the city’s annual big bash –– the 47th Millbrae Art & Wine Festival, September 2-3. Every year, the last unofficial weekend of summer brings massive crowds to this peninsula city, that could easily serve as a typical small town movie set, for the Bay Area’s biggest Labor Day weekend bash, transforming its charming downtown streets into a resplendent sea of people and colorful tents.

Presented by the Millbrae Chamber of Commerce, the festival is the “Last Blast of Summer” with two days of sensational live music, beautiful handcrafted work by 250 of America’s top artists and craftmakers, fabulous food and drink, premium wine, refreshing sangria, seasonal craft beer, signature cocktails and margaritas, Forty Creek Whisky sampling lounge, trailer and cornhole game area, “Hops Haven” microbrew tasting tent, the “Classically Cool Car Show”, an organic and green products showcase, artisan specialty foods, home and garden exhibits, health and wellness displays, and tons of fun for kids. The festival takes place on Broadway (1 block west of El Camino Real) between Victoria and Meadow Glen. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Admission is free.

STELLAR LIVE MUSIC EVERYWHERE
Millbrae totally rocks! Two full days of live music on stage and street turn downtown Millbrae into the Bay Area’s entertainment hotspot for the weekend. The dynamite music lineup features ten bodacious, big name bands playing a wide-ranging mix of 70’s disco, hip-hop, 80’s pop classics, 90’s party music, R&B, soulful Motown, groovy funk, rock and roll, spicy Cuban, zydeco, swing and jazz –– sure to be a real treat for music lovers. The blockbuster lineup includes Zepparella, East Bay Mudd, Boombox, Cisco Kid – War Tribute, Sang Matiz, Lumberyard, Loudin’ Cleer, John Clarke, Bob Culbertson and HeartStrings Music.

ORIGINAL FINE ART, COOL CRAFTS
Festivalgoers will find thousands of beautiful handcrafted items in well-stocked booths covering several city blocks. Meet 250 exceptional artists and craftmakers –– offering outstanding quality and variety and price points to satisfy every budget –– on hand with their latest creations. Featuring original work in sculpture, paintings, photography, glass, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, leather, wood, metal and mixed media, the festival is considered among the top art shows in the Bay Area. Vases, flatware, clocks, dishes, wall and table decorations, paperweights, stained and beveled glass, etchings, sculptures, photography, oil and watercolor paintings, beadwork, gold and silver jewelry, vests, handbags, hats, wallets, footwear, windchimes, and waterfalls are among the one-of-a-kind items available.

FABULOUSLY FESTIVE FOOD
Bring your appetite! Festival eateries will be serving up a world of flavorful fare –– Mexican-inspired fresh-fruit hand-cut fruit cups, blended fruit drinks, oxtail chicken pepper soup, lamb, chicken, salmon and shrimp with jerk sauce, dirty rice, coconut beans, Caribbean salad, half-pound, “Bad Ass” smoked pork and beef sausages slathered with grilled onions and sauerkraut, curly fries, fried zucchini, tri-tip sandwiches and turkey legs, Portobello mushroom sandwiches, sublime garlic fries, lamb and chicken in a pita or atop fluffy rice with yogurt-garlic tzatziki sauce, handmade falafel sandwiches, fried calamari marinated in Key lime with lime-watercress pesto, fries with crabmeat or freshly chopped garlic, teriyaki chicken-on-a-stick, vegetarian chow mein, lumpia, gyros, tri-tip tacos, quesadillas, garlic fries, grilled chicken and garlic-tossed fried tofu rice in noodle bowls and spinach-tortilla wraps, deep fried tofu tossed with garlic and finished with sweet & sour or teriyaki sauce, beef, lamb and chicken gyros, roasted fresh corn and baked potatoes, oxtail chicken pepper soup, cold-pressed juices and superfood smoothies kettle corn, wild cherry, blue raspberry, root beer, tiger's blood, lemon lime, and watermelon snow cones, fluffy, custom-flavored shaved ice, grilled Colby jack cheese sandwiches on double-thick Texas toast, crispy corn dogs, onion rings, all-natural popsicles and ice cream sandwiches made with local, organic, and fair-trade fruits, vegetables and herbs.

DELECTABLY DELICIOUS DRINK
Thirsty, my friend? Festivalgoers can enjoy signature festival cocktails – deelish Honeycrisp Apple Mules (Skyy Honeycrisp Apple vodka, fresh squeezed lime juice and ginger beer) plus classic Bloody Mary’s and refreshing, handmade margaritas made from fresh fruit purees – mango, strawberry, cucumber jalapeno and traditional lime – as well as premium wine, refreshing sangria, tasty seasonal craft beer. Beer lovers will be in hops heaven with the assortment of world-class brews –– Sam Adams Oktoberfest, Angel City IPA, Blue Moon Belgian White, Coors Light and Angry Orchard Cider. For aficionados of fine wine and bubbly, there will be a premium selection of easy-drinking varietals from California: Mondavi Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and White Zinfandel plus Cupcake Kenwood Brut. For Italian wine lovers, there’s delicate and refreshing Leonessa Pinot Grigio along with lovely, well-balanced Rocca Sangiovese. New to the fiesta this year: Bass Note Sangria, full flavored and so, so delicious! Made with California wine and blended with fresh fruit juice, cane sugar, herbs, and spices to create a whole new Sangria experience. Enjoy it in three extraordinary flavors – Blackberry Sage, Cherry Lime Almond, and Peach Tarragon. Cool off with refreshing Honey Green Tea, Half Lemonade/Half Tea and Pomegranate Blueberry Herbal Tea from Honest Tea, enjoy a bottle of Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water, 100% natural and bottled at the source or savor an iced illy espresso-style coffee drink – your choice of Cappuccino, Caffe Latte or Caffe Vanilla Affogato. Sip your favorite beverage in a beautiful, collector-item wine or beer glass adorned with the stylish festival logo.

ARTISAN SPECIALTY FOOD
A fantastic array of artisan-produced specialty food sprinkled throughout the event provides the perfect opportunity to sample and purchase small-batch, handcrafted edibles. Custom infused balsamic vinaigrettes, balsamics, maple syrup and oils, gourmet Brownies, award winning handmade organic ice cream, locally-grown, hand-packed nuts, dried fruit, seeds, trail mixes and candy, nut and fruit gift sampler trays, flavorful licorice ropes imported from Spain and Italy “stuffed” with a soft candy, licorice bites, belts and straws, fancy lollilops, twisteroos, flavored almonds, cashews, pistachios, and pecans, family recipe dips, spices, sauces, garlic mushrooms, stuffed olives, mustards, pickled garlic, green beans and asparagus, fruit butters and marinades, handmade almond toffee, authentic, traditional Chinese herbal teas, the world’s finest beef jerky, tender roasted corn nuts, gourmet dips, soups, desserts, dry rubs, California grown pomegranate fruit spread, molasses, syrup, marinade, grilling sauce, grenadine, balsamic vinegar, family of sauces & pickled products, delicious French-style pies made from seasonally available, locally grown, organic or natural fruits, delicious, creamy, handmade caramels, raw, unfiltered, 100% Grade A pure honey and the world’s finest Kona coffee –– just a taste of the mouth-watering offerings to sample and buy.

“HOPS HAVEN” MICROBREW TASTING TENT
Sample from an array of delicious seasonal craft brews in the Hops Haven tasting tent: Pyramid Apricot, Not Your Father’s Root Beer, Boston Brewing Truly Sparkling, Anchor Brewing Los Gigantes, Napa Smith Golden Gate IPA, Drake’s Dennoginizer Double IPA, Lost Coast Great White, Califcraft The Bay, Green Flash Nouveau Tarte, Ballast Point Unfiltered Sculpin, Boulevard Brewing Tank 7 and Anderson Valley Summer Solstice. Hops Haven is located in the city parking lot near the Victoria (south) end of the festival.

THE “CLASSICALLY COOL CAR SHOW”
Kick back and take a break in “Hops Haven”, a shaded oasis where car buffs gather and hang out for the festival-fave “Classically Cool Car Show”. Fans of classic, custom and exotic cars will be thrilled to hear that an incredible display of vintage touring cars, custom hot rods, powerful muscle cars, and sleek sports cars will be among the dozens of world-class cars expected to be on display each day. A different set of cars will be displayed each day, so it’s worth coming out both days to see the lineup. The car show is located in the parking lot near the Victoria (south) end of the festival.

STREETS FILLED WITH TALENT STAGE, SPONSORED BY SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO SCAVENGER
Now entrenched as a beloved and signature attraction at the Millbrae's Art and Wine Festival, the "Streets Filled With Talent Community Stage", under the direction of local impresario Ken Kelly, returns for a highly-anticipated encore performance. "It has been enormously gratifying to see our Streets Filled With Talent Stage become such a festival hit,” said producing director, Kelly, owner of Ken Kelly Productions. “It’s all about giving emerging and outstanding young talent from around the Bay Area a chance to do what all performers love to do: perform in front of a live audience. We’ll have some of our favorite acts back again along with some new talent that we've discovered over the past year.” The "Streets Filled With Talent Community Stage" is located on Broadway near Meadow Glen.

KIDS’ PLAYLAND
Action-packed Kids’ Playland will fascinate kids with an abundance of amazing amusements. Among the exciting attractions are an awesome 200’ zip-line that flies zippers over the crowd on Broadway, wild and wacky roll-on-water Waterballerz, ultra thrilling carnival rides and games, an imposing 100’ foot Super Slide, face painting and temporary tattoos –– a lineup of activities sure to keep youngsters gleeful and mesmerized!

The festival runs September 2-3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m on Broadway (one block west of El Camino Real) between Victoria and Meadow Glen. Festival admission is free. For information, call 650-697-7324 or check out www.miramarevents.com

WHEN: September 2-3, 2017. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

WHERE: On Broadway (one block west of El Camino Real) between Victoria and Meadow Glen in Millbrae CA.

INFO-LINE: 650-697-7324
WEBSITE: http://millbrae.miramarevents.com
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/MillbraeArtWineFestival
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/miramarcrew/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/miramarevents
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