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Take a Break for Brunch-A-Palooza

By Joe Nistler

Have you ever met someone who doesn’t like brunch? Me neither—and I doubt I ever will. It’s hard not to love a two-meals-for-one situation, especially one that incorporates the best meal (breakfast, of course), and the most important one, as we all learned growing up. Throw in a late-morning reverie and some heartier lunchtime fare, and you’ve got a recipe for human comfort.

This isn’t just my opinion. Journalist William Grimes paraphrased Guy Beringer—the guy credited with coining the term “brunch” in 1895—in a 1998 New York Times article, writing:

“…why not a new meal, served around noon, that starts with tea or coffee, marmalade and other breakfast fixtures before moving along to the heavier fare?

By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday-night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well.”

There you have it—brunch makes life brighter and promotes human happiness. It’s designed for sleeping in and chowing down, and catching up with friends and family before heading back to the workweek. It’s the backbone of any lazy Sunday, a flickering reprieve from an oncoming case of the Mondays.

And on Saturday, June 3, it’s going to be celebrated as it should be at Brunch-A-Palooza, running from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Paul’s Upper Landing Park. GetKnit Events is behind the soiree, in partnership with The Blue Door Pub, Hi-Lo Diner, local musicians and 20-plus local craft breweries and distilleries.

“Who doesn’t love brunch?” asks Nick Blake, GetKnit’s President of Fun. “We’re excited to celebrate this beloved meal with great food, drinks, music and friends along the banks of the beautiful Mississippi. Working with the geniuses behind Blue Door and Hi-Lo is such a pleasure, and our guests are in for a treat with their top-notch food and specialty drinks.”

Anyone is welcome to “celebrate all things brunch and those with whom we share it” for $59. Each ticket covers:

  • Four brunch-inspired small plates provided by Blue Door Pub and Hi-Lo Diner
  • Six drink tokens to put toward specialty bloody marys and mimosas from Hi-Lo mixologists, as well as “brunch beers” from more than 15 Minnesota breweries and craft sodas
  • Brunch-related demonstrations
  • Five hours of activities, including live music on two stages, access to local vendors and samples, games, contests and more

But there’s more than great food and good vibes—there’s a cause. A portion of ticket proceeds will go to The Finnegans Community Fund, an organization that has raised more than $1 million to alleviate hunger in Minnesota communities. The organizers also encourage attendees to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the reverse food truck. Feed, and be fed.

Much like summer in Minnesota, Brunch-A-Palooza will be here sooner than you think. A full list of bands, food and specialty brunch beers is available at the event’s website, brunchapalooza.com. We’ll see you at Upper Landing Park on Saturday, June 3, for a celebration that promises to bring folks together in a way that only food, drinks and music can.

“We think this event truly offers something for everyone,” says Blake, “and we can’t wait to experience it alongside our partners and participants.”

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