Once a year, white, suburban Westport turns into the blues capital of the world.
Also, the barbecue center of the universe.
Go figure.
It’s great publicity — and branding — for Westport. But it’s not a Westport crowd.
They come from across Connecticut. And Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and beyond.
They come for fantastic music. Great (and decidedly non-vegan) food.
And — for their kids — face painting, bounce houses and the chance to run around and around and around.
And come they do. Crowds formed long before the library parking lot and Levitt Pavilion opened at 11 a.m. They’ll be there today, too — smiling and enjoying the hell out of the day, just like everyone did yesterday.
Here’s what they saw and did:
I got there just as the barbecue contest was ending. This is all that was left.
But I was right on time for Anders Osborne, on the Levitt Pavilion mainstage.
This guy went from the BBQ contest to the music…
…while this guy was getting all the attention.
If you didn’t — or couldn’t — buy a pass for the sold-out Levitt acts, there was lots more music in the library parking lot tent.
There was art — like this from Dante Tilghman (left) — for the adults…
…face painting for kids like Zachary O’Dell…
…while others found a way to hear the music for free. This group probably WAS from Westport.