Tabouleh Fest a huge success

Brimming with events Saturday, Bristow made itself the place to be for family-friendly activities. Organizers wasted no daylight in getting started.

As the sun rose, Tabouleh Fest volunteers and vendors began setting up for the day. Within an hour, cyclists in Bristow for Mother Road Gravel’s cycling races busily began preparing for the day’s races. By 8 a.m., runners participating in the Wildflower 5K Run were arriving and beginning to register and retrieve their shirts. Although events began around the same time, they progressed at different rates throughout the day.

As the Tabouleh Fest and cycling races began a full day, the Wildflower 5K Run concluded. Crowds arriving for the Tabouleh Fest lined 7th Street near the finish line and cheered on determined runners. Following the Run, many made their way to Town Square for the awards ceremony. Others chose to explore vendors and treats along the quickly populating Main Street for the Tabouleh Fest.

After all of the misery 2020 delivered, the Tabouleh Fest produced a welcome hodgepodge of pleasures for the senses: soft, cuddly animals to comfort social anxieties, colorful, bouncy castles to dazzle the eyes and delight the energetic child, sweet and savory treats or tangy tabouli to captivate the tastebuds at every turn, the slow, lolling jostle of a pony ride to calm restless nerves, the unmistakable solid clang of a baseball meeting its mark and the resultant sloshing and splashing of the dunk tank to pique the ears, the aroma of fresh cabbage rolls on the breeze to ignite the appetite, and the occasional impatient slap of a stiff wind upon every inch of exposed skin to energize heat-soaked bones.

The festival not only teased the senses, but it also offered a nice array of activities and promotions as well. Bristow Barnyard partnered with the library to utilize the shaded parking area for an adoption event. Half a block away on the southwest corner of Main and 7th Streets, the Tabouleh Fest hosted its annual wine tasting event. Veterans’ groups and first responders participated in multiple events of the day and operated booths as well. Attendees perused vendors selling a variety of wares, raffle tickets, or seeking donations. Artistic vendors offered crafts, paintings, and drawings or opted to create their own art by entering the chalk art contest. Artist and illustrator Jameson Johns won first place and a $100 prize in the chalk art competition. Tina Trout took second place and a $50 prize. Marissa Still received $25 for placing third. By the time the chalk art contest ended, most vendors had left for the day, having sold out of product.

As the vendors departed, remaining Tabouleh Fest visitors left for home or ventured to the lake and softball field to await the arrivals of the remaining cyclists. Spectators were not disappointed, vociferously cheering on every cyclist as they neared the finish line. Mother Road Gravel planned a BBQ for Saturday evening. Cyclists, as well as anyone from the community, were also invited to attend the final event of the day: Bristow Music Fest.

Bristow Music Fest featured four musicians and groups: Chris Matthews, Cassie Latshaw, Last Chance Band, and Rollin’ Thunder. Performances began a little after 5 p.m. and continued through 10 p.m., offering a relaxing way to wind down a remarkably busy day. The community will remember Saturday’s festivities for awhile, no doubt. What a memorable way to kick off an impending summer season!