Millbrae hosts Art and Wine Festival on Sept. 4-5

Summer may be winding down but festival season is just starting to hit
its stride with many of the best events ahead. For some sun-splashed,
Mardi Gras-style fun this Labor Day weekend, head over to lively
downtown Millbrae for the big, really big Art & Wine
Festival,
coming up September 4-5, this year celebrating
its 40th anniversary.


Every year, the last unofficial weekend of summer brings massive
crowds to Millbrae for the Bay Area’s biggest Labor Day weekend bash,
transforming its delightful downtown streets into a resplendent sea of
people and colorful tents. Stroll, browse, relax and enjoy a friendly
and vibrant street fair with two days of stellar live music, gorgeous
handcrafted work by 250 talented artists, fabulous food and wine, an
organic and green products showcase, a new microbeer tasting tent, the
“Classically Cool Car Show”, artisan specialty food makers, home
and garden exhibits, health and wellness displays, and a host of
amusements 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.
This year’s music lineup is top notch once
again with nine fabulous bands playing everything from classic rock ‘n
roll, rhythm and blues, and Motown to jazz, reggae, pop and party
music — sure to be a real treat for music lovers. The lineup
includes The Cheeseballs, Lovefool, The Eye Witness Blues Band,
Sonic Strut, Fito Reinoso, Erica Sunshine Lee, Emerson, Shabang, and
HeartStrings Music
. The festival will also feature a special
performance by the Mills High School Dragon Team doing a traditional
Dragon Dance to open the festival.

Festivalgoers will find thousands of
handcrafted items by California’s top artists and craftmakers on
display at this juried show. Chat with and buy from 250 exhibitors
showing their latest original work. Featuring ceramics, glass, fine
art, jewelry, leather, textiles, and wood the festival is considered
among the top arts and crafts 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 thousands
of one-of-a-kind items available.
 
The Kids’ Stage features the return
of the wildly successful Streets Filled With Talent Music and Dance
Showcase
starring talented, up and coming performers, maybe the
next American Idol, from the Bay Area. Action-packed Kids’
Playland
will fascinate kids with endless amusements. Among the
exciting attractions are a full-size Ferris Wheel, Boomer’s Magic
Circus, the 120′ tall Super Slide, face painting, temporary tattoos,
Mobile Rock’s challenging 24-foot climbing wall, kiddie train rides,
the Great Crab Grab, Helicopter and Berry-Go-Round amusement rides and
several themed inflatables including a Dr. Seuss-inspired Cat-In-The
Hat bounce house, Tsunami Tidal Wave slide and Escape From Alcatraz
obstacle course — a boundless lineup of activities to entertain
kids.

Makers of artisan specialty foods will be
on-hand with spices, herbs, beef jerky, olive oil, dessert sauces,
spices, dips, salad dressings, balsamic vinegars, flavored almonds,
tea, scone mixes, fruit butter, chutney, fudge sauces, fruit jams,
honey, flavored mustard, salsas, marinades, and barbecue sauce among
the mouth-watering offerings to sample and buy.

Festival eateries will be dishing up hearty
servings of garlic fries, teriyaki chicken skewers, made-to-order
crepes, fresh corn-on-the-cob, Philly cheesesteaks, quesadillas, jumbo
hot dogs, gourmet sausages, calamari with cilantro lime sauce, zesty
gyros, fried zucchini and artichokes, veggies over rice, wraps, smoked
turkey legs, and tri-tip sandwiches. There’s plenty of kid-friendly
fare like kettlecorn, frozen yogurt, giant Brooklyn style hot
pretzels, spanish pastry churros, fresh fruit smoothies, cotton candy
and ice cream bars.

Complementing the food will be a selection
of exceptional wines, refreshing margaritas and mojitos, and tasty
brews. The popular Cantina, a shaded oasis to sit down and take a
break, returns to host the “Classically Cool Car Show” featuring
vintage touring cars, custom hot rods, sleek sports cars, super cool
low riders and more. New to the festival is a Microbeer Tasting Tent
featuring delicious, seasonal brews from a dozen small, craft
brewers.
The festival runs September 4-5,
2010
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m on Broadway (one block west of El
Camino Real) between Victoria and Meadow Glen. Free round trip shuttle
service will be available from the Millbrae BART/Caltrain station
every 20 minutes. Admission is free. For information, call
650-697-7324 or check out
www.miramarevents.com 

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