ROCKIN OUT OF THE RAIN … Toledo-area cover band 2 Left Missing play from the event space at Benfield Wines during Saturday evening’s Swanton Summer Block Party.
INSIDE AND OUT … The Swanton Summer Block Party crowd in Benfield Wines enjoys the music of Toledo-area cover band 2 Left Missing, performing for those inside and those outside under tents during a rainy Saturday evening.
(PHOTOS BY JESSE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
SWANTON SUMMER BLOCK PARTY … Uncle Louie’s Food Truck serves customers in front of The Spot as attendees at the Swanton Summer Block Party listen to a band performing at Benfield Wines.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
Rain and road closures weren’t enough to keep away attendees during Saturday’s Swanton Summer Block Party, put on by the Swanton Area Chamber of Commerce.
Saturday evening showers pushed the bulk of the party inside the event space at co-host Benfield Wines, with more partygoers opting for Hubs Swantucky, which also co-hosted the event. Benfield Wines Owners Julia and Rob Benfield sit on the chamber’s board of directors.
I’m very thankful for the community support even though it’s raining,” Benfield Wines owner Julia Benfield said.
“We’re having fun. We put a tent up outside and Hubs put a tent up too so people could still enjoy. I know The Spot’s doing good business.”
“We’ve had people come from The Spot over here to collaborate on drinks that we’ve been promoting. So, it’s all been good tonight even though it’s a little rainy.”
Benfield and husband and co-owner Rob both sit on the chamber’s board of directors. “We love Swanton, we want to promote Swanton, we love our community, so we love working with the chamber,” Julie said.
Chamber President Delray Busch said she was originally concerned the weather was going to be stormy as well and was happy that it was limited to rain.
“We still got a lot of people in here,” Busch said. “We threw up some tents, did our best for outside, and then of course welcoming anyone into our local businesses like The Spot, Benfield Wines, Hub’s, just trying to make the best of it.”
Busch gave credit to Toledo-area cover band 2 Left Missing, which played the event, as well as to food trucks Benny’s Loncheria and Uncle Louie’s Food Truck, for helping crank up the party.
The series was only supposed to run through September, but Busch said they added a date on October 4 for a Halloween-themed party.
In addition to the weather, the event faced a challenge in the closure of the intersection of Main Street and Zeiter Way for emergency repairs to a village sewer line that had been causing a sinkhole to develop in the road.
Despite the rain and the closure, more than 100 people turned out for the event. The first block party of the year was held in June, and the series will continue with events on August 16, September 27, and October 4.
All the parties are held from 6 to 9 p.m. in the designated outdoor refreshment area (DORA) zone focused in the area around N. Main Street’s intersections with Dodge Street and Zeiter Way.