FILE PHOTO
More than 100 hot rods, antiques and
specialty vehicles will be on display at
Bayfest this weekend.
ANNA MARIA – When you get to the Bayfest on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Pine Avenue, you might notice a familiar aroma among the tantalizing smells emanating from the food court.
The Anna Maria Island Privateers will be preparing and selling smoked mullet.
Privateer mullet smokes have been a longstanding tradition and fundraiser for the non-profit organization and many locals look forward to them each year. The smoked mullet will be sold during Bayfest hours, but supplies will be limited and are likely to be sold out quickly. Your best bet is to buy early. The Privateers will hold purchases to be picked up later in the day. The price is to be determined based upon fish size.
In addition to the smoked treat, 16 food vendors will set up tents to offer a wide array of flavors from the Island and the Gulf. Some of them will be selling food at the kickoff party Friday from 5 to 7 p.m., before Bootleg takes it home with live music from 7 to 10 p.m.
Vendors setting up both days and their menus are:
• Paradise Café and Catering with quarter-pound, all beef hot
dogs, homemade chili and Italian sausage and pepper hoagies
• The Waterfront featuring fish tacos and carnitas;
• T&L Barbecue and Soul Food selling ribs and chicken, tallow rise, collard
greens, baked beans and cornbread;
• Ad Good Eats, Inc., offering fish ‘n chips, gyros and snow cones;
• Tyler’s Homemade Ice Cream offering ice cream treats;
• Bite Me Beef Jerky featuring jerky treats with various flavors
and heat.
Joining them Saturday will be:
• The Sandbar restaurant with lump crab cakes;
• Aaron’s Smokin’ BBQ with barbecued pork sandwiches and ribs;
• Ole’ Kentucky Kettle Korn with kettle korn, boiled peanuts, Italian
ice and lemonade;
• Melinda’s Café offering bratwurst and lobster rolls;
• Cold Stone Creamery selling ice cream;
• A Moveable Feast of Holmes Beach selling white or cheese and
pepperoni pizza;
• Corky’s Hot Dogs with – you guessed it - hot dogs.
In addition to food, there will be refreshments and a large selection of arts and crafts booths plus the classic and antique car show on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Organizer Bill Mergens said his phone is still ringing from people wanting to enter their vehicles, but he has reached his goal and cannot accept any more cars or trucks.
The Privateers also will be holding a fundraising raffle. The grand prize is a $600 gift certificate for the Tradewinds Resort in Bradenton Beach. Tickets will be sold throughout the day during Bayfest. The cost is $1 per ticket or eight tickets for $5. The best value is 20 tickets for $10.
Proceeds from both the mullet smoke and raffle will will help fund some of the many projects sponsored by the Privateers, including the upcoming Christmas Parade complete with Santa, as well as their scholarship program that awarded $29,000 in scholarships to local high school students in July.