Hundreds enjoy grilled-cheese sandwiches at festival

They were cheesy and grilled to perfection, but the grilled-cheese sandwiches had more than just the name implied.

And to truly enjoy, cold beer and drinks helped wash them down. To burn the calories, live music for dancing or games, of course.

Hundreds of people enjoyed feasting on an assortment of grilled-cheese sandwiches Saturday afternoon at the Manasota Grilled Cheese Festival in Sutton Park, and it went beyond the simplicity of the nostalgic childhood.

Brenda and Keith Tower were enjoying the live music while eating grilled-cheese sandwiches from Tom+Chee.

“It’s delicious,” she said as she enjoyed the signature Tom+Chee that has mozzarella, cheddar, garlic seasoning and diced tomatoes.

Her husband seemed to be as much into the music as he was his sandwich.

“Good band,” he managed to say as he salivated his Tom+Chee.

The couple, from Bradenton, were enjoying the festival’s selections, they said.

“I also like that we don’t have to get tickets. You can just pay the vendors directly, because you always either get too much or don’t have enough,” Brenda said.

Tom+Chee owner Dave Williams was all smiles while he grilled up a grilled-cheese doughnut.

“It’s been pretty good, really good turnout,” Williams said.

Not all selections from the Sarasota menu were available Saturday to festival-goers

“The ones we did sell today were the favorites from the the restaurant,” Williams said. “The grilled-cheese doughnut did well. Our signature sandwich is the Tom+Chee and it did the best.”

While admission and parking were free, money from vendor fees and concession sales will go to Wheels 4 Purple Hearts, a Sarasota-based nonprofit that provides custom-built wheelchairs for veterans with disabilities.

Manatee County Commissioner Betsy Benac had been enjoying the music as she surveyed the festival offerings.

While her sister’s grilled double-cheese shrimp sandwich looked good, she had her eye on Riverside Rollin’ Smoke BBQ.

“This has the longest line. It’s had a long line all day,” Benac said while pointing to the food stand.

“So I’m going to get in it, to see what they got,” Benac said.

Palmetto Mayor Shirley Groover Bryant had already sampled a few of the offerings but was eying her choices for what she would take home for later.

The vendors and crowd seemed pleased all day, she said.

“I think they’ve had a good turnout. ... Hopefully they raised some money for veterans with disabilities to get wheelchairs,” she said.

Craig Janus, a part-time Palmetto resident, was enjoying a BBQ grilled chicken grilled cheese with jalapenos.

“It’s very good,” Janus said. “I was just passing through coming from the marina and heard about it from some people and decided to check it out.”

This story was originally published August 20, 2016 at 7:30 PM with the headline "Hundreds enjoy grilled-cheese sandwiches at festival."