Bonnie Kate fundraiser, BBQ, Blues & Brews, returns to Covered Bridge Park

Published 1:23 pm Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Food, beverages and music will fill Elizabethton’s Covered Bridge Park on Saturday, Aug. 20, from 6-9:30 p.m., as the community’s popular BBQ, Blues & Brews event returns.

This will be the 6th year for the popular community event — the year’s biggest fundraiser for the historic Bonnie Kate Theater. It will feature barbecue from at least six different vendors, and music from two different bands. And for the first time this year, the event will also offer a special VIP tent.

There will also be an art display featuring local artists.

“We put out a call for artists, since we are all about the performing arts, thinking it would also be great to encourage visual artists in different categories to come and share and sell their works,” said Kathy Campbell, President of The Friends of the Bonnie Kate. “There will be three featured artists, giving people an opportunity to visit their spaces and see their art.”

Tickets for the event will be $20 for food and a drink, and $30 for food and two beers. VIP tickets, which are very limited in number, are $75, and will include food, two beers, seating under a tent in a private area near the stage, a commemorative Bonnie Kate Theater glass and a gourmet cookie from Simply Elegant Bakery.

“The VIP tent will provide a really nice experience for our guests,” Campbell. “This is where guests will be seated at tables and served by attendants. It’s just another way of making the event more and more attractive to people each year, and encouraging them to come out and support the Bonnie Kate. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year.”

The event opens at 6 p.m. and music by 7 Mile Mushroom and Some Old Friends will begin at 6:15 p.m. More than 400 people attended last year, according to Campbell.

“This is a great way for the community to gather together, enjoy local regional barbecue, have a couple of craft beers and enjoy some great music and support the restoration of the historic Bonnie Kate,” she added.

This year, barbecue and sides will be provided by Jay’s Corner, Southern Craft BBQ, Food City, Southern Restaurant, Big Dan’s East TN BBQ and Mountain Boy’s Kountry Kitchen. Beer will be provided by Watauga Brewing Company. The VIP tent is courtesy of Jason Blevins with Birchfield Realty.

The event will take place, rain or shine. In case of inclement weather, it will be moved to the Elizabethton Park & Recreation Building, 300 Mill Street in Elizabethton.

Tickets may be purchased at the Elizabethton Chamber of Commerce or through any Bonnie Kate board member, and are available at www.BonnieKate.org through Eventbrite.