If at first you don’t succeed… As some of
you may recall, we had planned the First Annual AONE Blues‘n’Brews Cruise last
fall, but forecasts for torrential rain caused us to cancel. So we’re trying it
again, and this time it’ll run rain or shine!
On
Saturday, September 27
we’ll be embarking on the First Actual AONE Blues‘n’Brews Cruise! To begin,
we’ll meet up at 11AM in Westford, MA (in the central northeast part of
the Commonwealth) for one of tourmaster Kevin Murphy’s patented scenic
tours/rallies around some back roads in that part of the state. Dash plaques
will be presented to all participating drivers! Kevin has some tricks up his
sleeve, and asks that everyone bring a navigator and a stopwatch (or at
least a watch with a second hand). He reports that this will be a little
different from usual; over in the UK, they would probably call it a "regularity
run" (okay, no prune jokes). It’s sure to be enjoyable, and will tweak our
competitive spirit! Prizes will be awarded when we return to the Westford
starting point. (There’ll be an entry fee of $10/car to help defray the cost of
prizes and dash plaques.) From there, we’ll walk across the street to Kimball
Farm, the site of…
The Second Annual Central Massachusetts Blues‘n’Brews Festival! This
event will feature several of the best area blues bands—we’re talking
Ronnie Earl, the Fat City Band, and many more blues headliners! In addition,
over 15 New England microbreweries will be set up providing samples of their
wares. There will also be various types of food available, including Oktoberfest
fare and (of course) barbecue. It’s all held outdoors under tents, surrounded by
a huge grassy area.
Festival tickets are your responsibility to purchase. They’re $25 at the
door (which includes admission, a free raffle ticket, and eight 4-ounce tastes).
However, advance tickets are $20 and the event is expected to sell out, so make
sure to buy your tickets early! Tickets are available at all Strawberries
locations, and from Westford Rotarians, Kimball Farm, and select local
businesses. You can also order tickets online until September 17th at
www.bluesnbrews.com,
where you can also find lots more info on the Festival.
The Festival runs from 1PM to 7PM. You can stay for the whole festival,
stay for a little while, or go home after the Cruise if Blues’n’Brews isn’t your
thing. A good plan would be to hit the Festival, enjoy some BBQ and a few
tastes, and then relax listening to the great music for a while before hitting
the road. Bring along a blanket or lawn chairs and chill out on the big lawn.
Kimball Farm itself is quite well known around Central Massachusetts.
It’s an enormous site that offers a 9-hole pitch & putt course, driving range, a
best-anywhere mini-golf course, and some incredible bumper boats. And they also
have (arguably) the world’s best ice cream! Visit
www.kimballfarm.com.
The Festival organizers have agreed to reserve an Alfa-only parking area
for our cars when we return from our Cruise. To help us coordinate with them,
please contact Kevin Murphy now to indicate that you’ll be going
and/or with any questions. He can be reached at 508-879-1881 or
kevin.murphy@kmurphyslaw.com.
Please check this web page for any changes.
The happening
has been growing every year! Since different folks prefer different driving
styles, there will be two different "flights" taking off. One of the flights
will be Eleganza (relaxed touring) style, while the other will remain Con Brio
(with spirit).