Athens Eats! will be offering food from numerous restaurants across Athens County.
The Athens Messenger plans on taking full advantage of the good weather Labor Day weekend by hosting a food-based block party, called Athens Eats!, in TailGreat Park.
Restaurants will offer a variety of food samplers and entertainment for people to peruse and enjoy. The event, which begins Saturday at 2 p.m., is across from the Convocation Center.
“People want something to do,” Andrea Lewis, director of marketing and events at the Messenger, said. “They want to be outside, but not everybody wants to host their own cookout.”
The food festival has invited local restaurants and drinking establishments from surrounding towns to participate in the event. The list ranges from chain restaurants such as Texas Roadhouse and Jimmy John’s, to local eateries such as The Boot Grill from Nelsonville and Ohio University's Cutler’s Restaurant.
The event is organized so that one ticket is worth $1, and no food product is more than three tickets. Lewis said she hopes people take advantage of the opportunity to try all the different choices.
“The idea is to taste everything without having to finish a full meal and for the price to be low so that you can have a little bit or a lot of everything,” Lewis said.
Athens Eats! will also have different drinks available from different venues including West End Cider House and Dutch Creek Winery. The proceeds will be put toward paying for future events.
Local food owners see it as an opportunity to show the community support and display the food they have to offer.
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“They get to talk with their food instead of just advertising in the paper,” Lewis said.
The restaurants are also excited to have the chance to mingle with the public and help out the community.
“I like Athens Eats! You don’t get to do stuff like this every day — to raise money for the community,” Michael McIntosh, the executive chef at Cutler’s Restaurant, said.
The Messenger started its events and marketing division, which is responsible for the planning of the event, last April. This is the first event of its kind to “organize things for the community to do that were inexpensive and fun,” Lewis said.
Lewis also pointed out that most of the eateries participating in the event are farther off campus than the restaurants on Court Street.
“It’s perfect for college students because they don’t always have the opportunity to eat at some of the restaurants out of walking distance,” Lewis said.
Live music begins at 2:30 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m. All three bands performing will play classic rock.
For kids, there will be a play area which includes inflatables and healthy food alternatives like fruit kebabs and natural lemonade.
Lewis said “people are excited" about the event, and some students agreed to attend as they encouraged newcomers to try the local Athens food.
“I think it’s cool that there’s food here you can’t get anywhere else. I get bored with food easily,” Mikayla McCleese, a junior studying international business and marketing, said.
Students aren’t the only ones excited for the event.
“I’m looking forward to having a nice cold cider, relaxing and enjoying the music,” Lewis said.
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@AustinRErickson
