Loving Life: Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Review

After the Gasparilla 15K and 5K, my sister Angie and I changed clothes, took a baby wipe shower and headed over to the Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park to meet up with our husbands.

Our VIP tickets allowed us in a special area and tent with food and drink samples. Drink samples were everywhere but food samples were only in the VIP area. Score! My favorite was pulled pork with BBQ sauce. Yummy! But they also had bacon, shrimp, sausage, salmon, and mini pork tacos. They offered beer and Angry Orchard cider samples in the VIP tent, so I was set. I'm not a big beer or bourbon fan, although I did try both at the festival, but I love hard cider.

We received a tasting glass and handy holder to wear as a necklace. Remember this picture was post Gasparilla hair and makeup. I ran a half marathon that morning and then walked over to Beer, Bourbon & BBQ. It was an outside event so I knew I'd just continue to sweat.

After getting some grub, Angie and I finally met up with our husbands and cousins.

We enjoyed the bands and music. They played classic rock instead of country. We walked up to the stage as this band was singing a cool, upbeat version of Won't You Be My Neighbor.

Along with drink samples, you could buy various types of food, including a pretzel necklace.

We met friends we hadn't seen in a while.

And people as classic as the music playing.

Something not so classic or classy....the beer belly contest. My husband had had enough samples that he wanted to join in on the contest by sticking his stomach out as far as possible, but he had nothing on these guys.

Overall, we had an amazing and fun day at Beer, Bourbon & BBQ. I think Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park was the perfect location for an event such as this. It had nice grass and was not a dirt covered field so I felt comfortable wearing my flip flops or open toe shoes without getting Flintstone feet.