For those who are unaware, Gladefest is basically the WrestleMania of Gladeville, Tennessee. It doubles as a sort of fall festival and car show for the town and the school carnival for Gladeville Elementary. It comes just once a year, and is usually a harbinger of the oncoming fall. But, this year was different. This year, there were no inklings of autumn trickling in. It was hot as hell. You could’ve told me it was a hundred degrees outside, and I would’ve believed you.
Fear not, readers. Thankfully, I take my job as a journalist very seriously. So, I simply sweated my ass off and braved the conditions so that I could bring you this piece.
Gladefest 2018 Highlights
The Huli Hut – I purposely skipped breakfast so that I could go to Gladefest hungry. We made our initial lap around the festivities, and when it was time to decide where to stop first, The Huli Hut appeared like an oasis in the desert.
This is not your typical food truck menu in Tennessee. Some really original stuff on there, but I had to try the Hawaiian meatballs. I didn’t regret it – big juicy meatballs, tossed in a nice spicy sweet sauce with peppers and pineapple. It was an exquisite breakfast.
Craft Fair – Then, it was on to the craft fair. Had to stop by Wilson Bank & Trust to pull out some cash in case I saw something I simply couldn’t live without. That’s where I noticed the Kona Ice truck and bouncy houses. It’s a shame they don’t let 280-pound men on those things. Looked like a lot of fun.
We strolled through the parking lot of Gladeville Elementary, and I bought a few items. But, I have to say – there weren’t nearly as many craft vendors there as there have been in years past.
Rock Pile Farm – Had to go see my guys at Rock Pile Farm. They’ve been at this festival for what feels like the last decade, and I always buy a bottle of muscadine cider from them to mix up in gin drinks. #GinFriday will never be the same. But, I’ve also bought pickled garlic, and moonshine jelly from them, too. It’s all good.
Nothing Bundt Cakes – Nothing Bundt Cakes has made their way to Mount Juliet, and your boy came home with two confetti cakes that were to die for.
Car Show – We strolled around the car show for a bit (that’s what’s in the featured image). Rows and rows of cleaned up vehicles and a table full of trophies to hand out. This part of the festival seems to grow more and more each year.
Hurts Hot Chicken – The guys at Hurts Hot Chicken rolled up on Gladefest, but since we stopped by just as they were getting the oil warmed up and I had to be somewhere within the hour, I had to miss out on ’em this time. They usually post where they’ll be on any given day on their Facebook page. It’s worth seeking out, though, so give them a like.
Steak Sandwich – No hot chicken for me, so I had to “settle” for a rib eye sandwich from one of the many food trucks set up. Apologies, but I can’t recall seeing a name on it – hell, maybe it wasn’t even an actual vendor. Maybe I bought a steak sandwich from some random dude who rolled up on Gladefest? Oh well – it was delightful – two steaks on a bun that I loaded up with tomato, onion, and hot sauce. It was 8PM before I was hungry again.
Overall, I love and look forward to this event every year. It’s certainly not the biggest festival of the year you’ll attend, but that’s in part what makes it so special. There’s a lot of love that goes into making this the biggest day of the year in Gladeville, and that’s evident. Plus, I’ve always enjoyed it as the unofficial kickoff to fall.
There’s a little bit of something for everyone at Gladefest.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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