SHARE

Blues, Views & BBQ Festival To Heat Up Downtown Westport

WESTPORT, Conn. —  Residents of all ages can enjoy good eats, live music and family-friendly activities in the heart of downtown Westport as the sixth annual Blues, Views & BBQ Festival takes over Jesup Green this Labor Day weekend.

Barbecue ribs from Westport's Bobby Q's will be among the many items on the menu at the sixth annual Blues, Views & BBQ Festival this weekend.

Barbecue ribs from Westport's Bobby Q's will be among the many items on the menu at the sixth annual Blues, Views & BBQ Festival this weekend.

Photo Credit: File: Vanessa Inzitari

Organized by the Westport Downtown Merchants Association, the festival will feature 14 different bands, barbecue competitions, a food court, kids activities, rib and pie eating contests, cooking demonstrations and more.

“There’s a lot of nooks and crannies to this event,” festival chairman Bob LeRose said. “Some people come to enjoy a full day of music, and others come to check out all the different vendors. There’s something for everyone.”

Due to upcoming construction at the Levitt Pavilion, the festival is taking place on Jesup Green, a venue LeRose said he and other event organizers are excited to use.

“It’s a really beautiful space right on the water,” LeRose said. “I’m interested to see how it all plays out, particularly the impact it has on local businesses.”

Aside from the location change, LeRose said this year’s festival will feature more vendors and a more diverse musical lineup.

Festival-goers planning to satisfy their taste buds won’t be disappoint, LeRose said. As a barbecue festival, there will of course be plenty of barbecue. Westport’s own Bobby Q’s  will be serving up ribs, pulled pork, sausage and more, while Bar Q, its sister restaurant in Stamford, will offer brisket sandwiches, Memphis style ribs and pulled chicken. Both restaurants are owned by LeRose.

Visitors can also enjoy gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches from the Melt Mobile; beef hot dogs from Dave & Jerry’s Hot Dog Trolley; Winnie’s Jerk Chicken & Fish; lobster rolls and burgers from Westport’s Blue Lemon Restaurant; meatball sandwiches from The Local Meatball; and more.

Guests over 21 will be able to enjoy a variety of alcoholic beverages, including Sierra Nevada, Magic Hat, Tito’s Vodka, Jim Beam Global Products and Newman’s Own Wines.

“We’re the only festival in the area to have an almost full bar available,” LeRose said.

Other festival highlights include the “Cookin’ for a Cause” Kansas City BBQ Society amateur competition, which benefits the Westport Woman's Club Food Closet, and the “Kids Q” cook off. There will also be several CT Bites-sponsored cooking demonstrations featuring area restaurants.

Families with children can look forward to a variety of entertainment, including inflatables, street performers, face painters and a mechanical bull.

Festival hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Per day admission is $25 for adults and $15 for students/seniors. Children 12 and under are free. Two-day festival passes, which must be purchased in advance, are $45 for adults and $25 for students/seniors.

To see a full schedule of festival events, or to purchase festival passes, visit the Blues, Views & BBQ website.

to follow Daily Voice Westport and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE