The heat was on at the 10th annual Burgers and Brews Festival, as participating restaurants battled it out to determine who would emerge victorious in this year’s Best Burger in Indian River County Competition.
While the day was full of fun, there was a serious mission behind the fundraiser, with all proceeds supporting United Against Poverty, which assists some 750 people a day to lift themselves out of poverty and into self-sufficiency.
Riverside Park was a beehive of activity as thousands braved soaring temperatures to chow down on delicious burgers and wash them down with an abundance of icy drinks from local breweries.
There was plenty to keep the youngsters engaged too, with games and face painting in the kids’ zone, while adult games included an apple pie eating and flip cup contests.
And throughout the day the toe-tapping music of Carl Owens & Whiskey Trip a five-piece Country and Honky Tonk band kept the energy level on high.
This year’s panel of experts, all judging this particular event for the first time, were Athena Barton, general manager of the Green Marlin; Eddie Hunter, owner of Hunters Seafood; and County Commissioner Susan Adams, who, with her family, owns and operates Marsh Landing Restaurant in Fellsmere.
In the end, the Judges’ Choice for Best Burger was presented to the Cabana Bar at Costa d’Este, and Second Place was awarded to Savores Grill House. Attendees had their say as well, with the First Place People’s Choice Award presented to Heaton’s Vero Beach, and Savores placing second there also.
The other restaurants who laid it all on the line were Twisted Lime Restaurant & Bar, the Garden Café at McKee Botanical Garden, Waldo’s and Wilke’s 14 Bones Barbeque.
Breweries included American Icon Brewery, Islamorada Beer Company, Sailfish Brewing Company, Hop Life Brewing Company, Real American Beer, Happy Dad Hard Seltzer, Founders Brewing and Surfside Hope Town Vodka.
There was also a judged car show to keep the automobile buffs in the crowd happy, with First Place presented to a 1966 Pontiac GTO, Second to a 1951 Ford F1, and Third to a 2010 Chevy Camaro SS. As with the burgers, the crowd had their say, presenting the People’s Choice award to a 1997 Woodward Dream Cruise Mustang.
Among the multiple services of United Against Poverty is their Member Share Grocery Program, located with other programs in the impressive UP Center; the Success Training Employment Program (STEP), which offers training and job preparatory assistance; a Crisis Stabilization Program to assist those facing immediate instability; and a new three-phase Build UP program, to help secure high-paying jobs in the trades, construction and manufacturing fields.
The UP client base includes those among the 8,500 Indian River County households living in poverty, as well those from the 23,000 identified by the United Way as the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) population. Although employed, many working multiple jobs, they still earn below what is needed to afford basic living expenses.
For more information, visit UnitedAgainstPoverty.org.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
