Festival Food Fest gets Alliance in the groove

ALLIANCE ‒ Heads were bobbin'. Feet were tappin'. People danced to the groove.

Jimmy & the Soul Blazers, blending soul and funk, provided the soundtrack Thursday night during the Greater Alliance Carnation Festival's kickoff event − the Carnation Food Fest on East Main Street in downtown Alliance.

And they didn't disappoint.

"This an annual event, and I love Jimmy & the Soul Blazers, and you can see the food is delicious," said Lisa Mallard, an Alliance resident, sitting with friends and eating a gyro at the concert.

The Food Fest, which ends Saturday night, is one of the marquee events of the 62nd festival. While a few events predated Wednesday's opening day, the festival now will run through Aug. 14.

Tom Hines, a festival board member, said the Food Fest is a "perfect way" to start the Carnation Festival.

"We have super bands every night," and a variety of fair foods, he said.

Situated between Park and Arch avenues, Food Fest features about a dozen vendors and live music all three nights. The food offerings range from barbecue to sausage sandwiches and funnel cakes to snow cones.

"We heard there was going to be funnel cake," said Allyce Bryant, an Alliance resident. She and her boyfriend Xavier Loveless were with her sons John and Bradley Dallas.

"So we brought the kids down," she said. "It was cool to see stuff down here."

Corey Shofroth, owner of MoonshineQ, was smoking brisket, ribs and pulled pork for paying customers. He has been part of Food Fest since it took over for the former Ribs Fest that was held at Carnation City Mall.

"I get to be in my hometown and sell barbecue, which I love," the Alliance-area resident said.

Prior to music, new Carnation Queen Kayla Martin and the court of 1st Attendant Chloe Orzo, 2nd Attendant Catarina Hagan and 3rd Attendant Kenna McElroy took the stage and introduced themselves. Martin was crowned July 30.

"I'll probably come two days (to Food Fest)," Mallard said. "And then we'll go out to the Days in the Park. We participate. We love seeing the people and all that good stuff."

The popular Days in the Park event starts Aug. 10 at Silver Park and runs through Aug. 13.

"It's a monsterous family reunion, city reunion," Hines said of Days in the Park, which includes musical acts and fireworks on Aug. 13.

Food Fest continues

Food Fest continues Friday and Saturday in the city's downtown, running noon to 11 p.m. Country musicians Caliber perform at 7 p.m. Friday, and '80s tribute band New Wave Nation takes stage at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Staci Gurney, president of the Greater Alliance Carnation Festival, said the pedal tractor pull also will take place there from 2 to 4 pm. Saturday − a new location. "It used to be at Lowe's," she said.

Registration begins at 1:30 p.m.

To be or not to be ... in the rain

In addition to Food Fest, the first of four performances of "Hamlet" were held Thursday night as part of the University of Mount Union's Shakespeare at the Castle.

Due to potential stormy weather, which delayed the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, the performance was moved from Glamorgan Castle to Brush Performance Hall in the Giese Center at Mount Union.

The other three showings of "Hamlet" are scheduled to take place at the castle. Check their Facebook page for any changes at https://www.facebook.com/UniversityofMountUnion.

For a complete list of Carnation Festival events, check the festival website at http://www.carnationfestival.com/.

Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @bduerrep.

Follow on Twitter @bduerREP

This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Carnation Festival Food Fest gets Alliance in the groove