ROYAL OAK, Mich. — Severe weather that swept through the Royal Oak area during setup could not stop Arts Beats and Eats from getting underway, and vendors say the festival is hitting its stride.
Chef Omar Mitchell of Table No. 2 Restaurant in Greektown is among those serving up food this weekend, offering St. Louis barbecue ribs with house-made mac and cheese, a jumbo carnivore-style smoked turkey leg, and caramelized mac and cheese prepared in front of guests.
"We're rocking and rolling," Mitchell said.
The severe weather that ripped through the area during setup delayed the start of Day 1, but Mitchell said the rough beginning did not dampen the spirit of the event.
"A little scary for us in the beginning but now things are picking up," Mitchell said.
The festival's resilience mirrors what happened over Fourth of July weekend, when the Royal Oak Taco Fest was delayed because of extreme heat before bouncing back. Vendors say Arts Beats and Eats is no different.
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For Mitchell and Table No. 2, the weekend carries extra significance. The Greektown restaurant has felt the financial strain of ongoing construction in the neighborhood.
"We're in Greektown. We've been impacted by the construction for two years so we can certainly use the support," Mitchell said.
Every sale counts for the local business.
"Events like this helps us pay some bills and pay some employees and keep moving," Mitchell said.
Down Washington Avenue, artists from near and far are displaying their work. Xavier Nuez, an art photographer from Chicago, is a regular at Arts Beats and Eats.
"These are techniques that I developed on my own with trial and error," Nuez said.
Nuez said the event consistently draws strong interest from buyers.
"The crowds are huge, there's always a lot of interests, and a lot of buyers, that's pretty important," Nuez said.
Gates open at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
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