Millbrae Celebrates 40th Annual Labor Day Weekend Festival, The “Last Blast of Summer”
Stellar Lineup of Music, Art, Food and Fun Offers A Great Entertainment Value
 NOTE: Content below is from 2009 event. Check back 3-4 weeks before the event for updated information.
Staying close to home this Labor Day weekend? With people looking for more affordable, local leisure options, the Bay Area’s always popular free-admission festival circuit is more appealing than ever. For some sun-splashed, Mardi Gras-style fun and a great entertainment value this Labor Day weekend, head over to lively downtown Millbrae for the huge Art & Wine Festival, coming up September 4-5. Every year, the last unofficial weekend of summer brings massive crowds to town for one of the Bay Area’s biggest Labor Day weekend events, transforming its delightful downtown streets into a resplendent sea of people and colorful tents. Stroll, browse, relax and enjoy a friendly and vibrant street fair with two days of stellar live music, gorgeous handcrafted work by 250 talented artists, fabulous food and wine, an organic and green products showcase, artisan specialty foods, home and garden exhibits, health and wellness displays, and a host of amusements for kids. The festival takes place on Broadway (1 block west of El Camino Real) between Victoria and Meadow Glen. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Admission is free.
“Green” Efforts
The Chamber of Commerce, City of Millbrae and South San Francisco Scavenger will once again join forces to promote recycling and composting. “Every day we talk about ways to reduce, re-use, and recycle,” said John Ford, President/CEO of the Millbrae Chamber of Commerce. “We’re focused on making the festival as green and sustainable as possible –– it’s a priority for us and something we diligently plan for every year.” Festival organizers are also encouraging the use of public transit, bicycles and car pools to cut down carbon emissions and vehicular traffic. Free round-trip shuttle service will be available from the Millbrae BART/Caltrain station every twenty minutes, dropping off and picking up riders at the south end of the festival near the intersection of Victoria and Broadway.
Music and Entertainment
This year’s music lineup will feature seven big name cover bands playing everything from classic rock ‘n roll, rhythm and blues, and Motown to jazz, reggae, pop and party music –– sure to be a real treat for music lovers. The lineup includes Tainted Love, Big Bang Beat, Delta Wires, James Moseley Band, The Pulsators, Crunchy Frog, and The Emerson Growiser Band. The festival will also feature performances by the Mills High School Dragon Team doing a traditional Dragon Dance to open the festival and the Shinnyo Taiko Drum Group of the Shinnyo-en Buddhist order.
Fine Art, One-of-a-Kind Crafts
Festivalgoers will find thousands of handcrafted items in well-stocked booths covering several city blocks. Chat with and buy from 250 professional artists on hand with their latest creations. Featuring original work in sculpture, paintings, photography, glass, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, leather, wood, metal and mixed media, the festival is considered among the top art shows in the Bay Area. Vases, flatware, clocks, dishes, wall and table decorations, paperweights, stained and beveled glass, etchings, sculptures, photography, oil and watercolor paintings, beadwork, gold and silver jewelry, vests, handbags, hats, wallets, footwear, windchimes, and waterfalls are among the one-of-a-kind items available.
Artisan Specialty Food
Gourmets and gourmands take note: makers of artisan specialty food will be on-hand to sample and sell their incredible edibles. Olive oil, dessert sauces, spices, dips, salad dressings, balsamic vinegars, flavored almonds, tea, biscotti, fruit butter, chutney, fudge sauces, fruit jams, flavored mustard, salsas and marinades will be among the mouth-watering offerings to sample and buy.
Festive Food & Drink
Festival eateries will be dishing up hearty servings of garlic fries, teriyaki chicken skewers, made-to-order crepes, fresh corn-on-the-cob, Philly cheesesteaks, quesadillas, gourmet sausages, calamari with cilantro lime sauce, gyros, fried zucchini and artichokes, veggie wraps, smoked turkey legs and Venezuelan arepas, caribe, pepeada and pernil. There’s plenty of kid-friendly fare like kettlecorn, frozen yogurt, giant Brooklyn style hot pretzels, spanish pastry churros, fresh fruit smoothies, cotton candy and ice cream bars. Complementing the food will be a selection of exceptional wines from Mas Wine Company and Beringer Founders Estate, Wolf Blass Champagne, refreshing margaritas, and tasty brews –– Sam Adams Summer Ale and Boston Lager, Blue Moon Belgian White, Coors Light and Corona. The popular Margarita King Cantina, located in the parking lot on Broadway between Victoria and La Cruz, returns to host a classic car show with some of the world’s coolest collector cars. Festivalgoers will find a shaded oasis to sit down, take a shopping break, relax and enjoy their favorite adult beverage.
 |
Kids' Stage
The Kids’ Stage features the all-new Rising Star Music and Dance Showcase, a youth talent show produced by Ken Kelly Productions and Team Pro Event, starring talented, up and coming performers, maybe the next American Idol, from the Bay Area.
Kids' Playland
Action-packed Kids’ Playland will fascinate kids with endless amusements. Among the exciting attractions are a full-size Ferris Wheel, Boomer’s Magic Circus, a 120’ tall Super Slide, face painting, temporary tattoos, Mobile Rock’s challenging 24-foot climbing wall, kiddie train rides, the Great Crab Grab, Helicopter and Berry-Go-Round amusement rides and several themed inflatables including a Dr. Seuss-inspired Cat-In-The Hat bounce house, Tsunami Tidal Wave slide and Escape From Alcatraz obstacle course –– a boundless lineup of activities to entertain kids.
Organic, Healthy & Green Products Showcase
This year’s festival will feature the latest and greatest exhibits featuring Organic, Natural, Healthy and Eco-Friendly products. Festivalgoers can enjoy free product samples and demos while experiencing first-hand how these products can help you live a better, healthier and “greener” lifestyle and be a positive catalyst for change. Sponsors include Capay Organics Farm Fresh To You, Larabar, Cascadian Farm, Reviv Med Spa, American Laser Centers, Peninsula Health Care District, Alliance Chiropractic, San Mateo County’s H2Ice Hydrogen-Powered Bus, and Icelandic Glacial Natural Spring Water.
Home & Garden Exhibits
For home improvement ideas, check out product displays and chat with representatives from Heavenly Greens, Armstrong Installation Service, Clear View Screens, Southwest Greens, Cutco Cutlery, Gutter Helmet, Kitchen Pros, BathFitter, Del Contes Landscaping, Kitchen Experts of California, and The Craftsmens’ Guild.
Spectacular Sponsors
Additional sponsors include Wells Fargo, Maita Distributing –– Sam Adams Summer Ale, Boston Lager, Blue Moon Belgian White, Coors Light, Corona, First National Bank, Provident Credit Union, Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley, South San Francisco Scavenger, AT&T “The Real Yellow Pages”, Shell Vacations Club, El Dorado Ranch, Bronzini Dental, Marymount Greenhills Retirement Center, Jessica Sanders Linens, The New York Times, Comfort Inn, The Margarita King, BART, CBS 5 –– Channel 5, The CW –– Channel 44, Comcast, San Mateo Daily Journal, San Mateo County Times, Daily News Group, San Francisco Chronicle, Wave Magazine, Alice 97.3 FM, KFOX 98.5 FM, Channel 104.9 FM, KSJO “La Preciosa” 92.3 FM, Movin’ 99.7 FM, and KOIT 96.5 FM.
Blood Drive
The Millbrae Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Blood Centers of the Pacific (BCP) to host a blood drive during the festival with the goal of helping to boost the critically low blood supply in the
Bay Area. The festival will host the BCP Bloodmobile where festivalgoers can give blood after going through a screening process. Typically, summer is when blood shortages occur due to vacations and fewer blood drives at venues such as high schools and colleges. Shortages result in rationing of blood to hospitals and serious concern over a region's ability to respond to large scale emergencies. The Bloodmobile will be in the parking lot next to Office Depot on Broadway.
Public Transportation/Shuttle
Public transit systems BART, Caltrain and Samtrans will be running their holiday weekend service both days of the festival. For Caltrain and SamTrans schedule information, call 800-660-4287 or vist www.caltrain.com or www.samtrans.com. For BART information, visit www.bart.gov. Free round-trip shuttle service will be available from the Millbrae BART/Caltrain station every twenty minutes, dropping off and picking up riders at the south end of the festival near the intersection of Victoria Avenue and Broadway. The shuttle service is sponsored by the Best Western El Rancho Inn & Suites.
No Pets, Please
Pets are not allowed at the festival. For the safety, comfort, and courtesy of your pets and festival-goers, please leave your pets at home.
Festival Dates/Hours/Location/Info-Line
The festival will be held on September 4-5 (Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. along Broadway (1 block west of El Camino Real) between Victoria Avenue and Meadow Glen. Admission is free. Broadway will be closed to traffic from Victoria Avenue to Meadow Glen for the two-day festival. During the festival, vehicles may cross Broadway at Hillcrest and Taylor under the supervision of the Millbrae Police Department. For festival information, call the Millbrae Chamber of Commerce at 650-697-7324. |
