Riverside Park sizzled with excitement and enticing aromas during the annual Burgers & Brews Festival to help fund the programs and services of United Against Poverty.
The family friendly event offered an array of gourmet burgers, each uniquely crafted by local chefs to tantalize taste buds. For those who craved a sudsy beverage, a selection of Florida-curated craft brews topped off the gastronomic affair. And there were various food trucks offering other options for anyone wanting something other than burgers.
Between bites, attendees enjoyed live performances, perused wares offered at numerous vendor booths, and peered into windows at a car show, while the little ones frolicked in the kids’ zone.
Judges Carl Berry, co-owner of American Icon Brewery; Kenny Holmes, former NFL defensive end; and Chef Lou Kolbauer owner of Green Marlin, Chive and Rosie Malloy’s Pub, were tempted with burgers cooked to perfection and dressed with everything from Firecracker sauce to queso. In the end, the trio selected Wilke’s 14 Bones Barbecue as the Judges Choice Award winner, while Heaton’s Vero Beach captured the People’s Choice Award.
Burger 101, Curfew, Marsh Bistro, Sebastian Sandwich Shack, Barefoot Cafe, the Brennity at Vero Beach, and Twisted Lime were among the seven other local restaurants that vied for the title of Best Burger in Indian River County.
United Against Poverty is dedicated to inspiring and empowering people who are living in poverty to lift themselves and their families into economic self-sufficiency.
The organization’s comprehensive approach includes programs at its UP Center such as crisis care and housing assistance; transformative education; food assistance through their Member Share Grocery program; counseling for substance abuse, mental health and domestic violence; life skills training through their STEP program; job and GED preparation; and veterans assistance.
Proceeds from Burgers & Brews support these essential programs, ensuring that UP can continue to make a tangible difference in the lives of individuals and families in need.
For information, visit upirc.org.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
