Space Coast Burger Battle set for Saturday

BREVARD COUNTY - Battle Bros, LLC will hold the “Space Coast Burger Battle” on Saturday from noon-10 p.m. at Wickham Park in Melbourne.

The event is being hosted with The Children’s Hunger Project, with which Battle Bros, LLC has partnered with in the past and will partner with in the future for events that include the Space Coast Wing Battle and the 321 Tacos and Treats Throwdown, noted Jamie Schmalenberger, creative and marketing director with Battle Bros, LLC.

“Food is a basic need and no child should have to go hungry,” Ms. Schmalenberger said. “They are a nonprofit that’s very near and dear to our hearts.”

Tickets to the event are $7 per person with kids 10-and-under able to attend the event for free.

“You get entry into the event and then your entry gets you access to over 25 food trucks that have a special event priced menu so everything is a la carte and is only $1-5 per item and the main item on everyone’s menu is going to be a burger of some sort but they will also have side dishes as well and then we have dessert,” Ms. Schmalenberger said. “….You get a wristband and if you come and grab lunch and you want to go home for a bit….you can come back whenever, come back and listen to music and have dinner.”

The event will also feature a marketplace craft fair with craft vendors, artists and local businesses. In addition, “The Backyard” will provide entertainment with games that include axe throwing, hover ball archery and tennis ball darts, per the event’s Facebook page.

“The Rolling Stones” will also help feature mobile gem mining as well. Three live bands will also be performing at the event, per the event’s Facebook page including Whiskey Juju (noon-3 p.m.), Tru Phonic (3:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.) and Positive Chaos (7-10 p.m.).

The “Battle” lives up to its nickname through a competitive portion of the event as well, Ms. Schmalenberger said where judges will be able to make their decisions on awards, including the title of who’s made the best burger, via a blind taste test.

“We, Battle Bros, curates a panel of vetted judges that are either in the food industry or culinary arts and we have four judges,” Ms. Schmalenberger said.

Those who compete primarily are local, Ms. Schmalenberger indicated.

“We have food trucks and restaurants that participate and the majority of them are local but we do have a few that are coming from more central Florida, like west Orlando area. I think at least one, maybe two are coming up from south Florida and I think we have one coming from Jacksonville.”

If past events run by Battle Bros, LLC are any indication, it would appears as though the event will be well-attended, though due to the event’s length, crowds figure to be staggered, she added.

“In the past our similar events have brought out 5,000-6,000 attendees but it’s not a crowded feeling event because you have to remember that that 5,000-6,000 people are coming and going from over 10 hours and it’s at Wickham Park and we have a lot of space,” Ms. Schmalenberger said. “We utilize plenty of space there as well as being a summer event there’s a large pavilion with picnic tables so there’s plenty of shade which is nice to have is well.”

A full listing of the participating restaurants, food trucks and vendors can be found on the “Space Coast Burger Battle” Facebook page.