Food and Wine Festival 2021
- Thread starter Gavin
- Start date
It sounds like BGW over promised and unable to deliver due to staffing issues. I'm not in a position to comment about behind the scenes culinary department problems / leadership; but, why would you hold a large food oriented event this early in the season? Even in non-COVID times, I would think you would have staffing problems. Add COVID to the mix and most college age folks still in school, where are the bodies coming from to run the event?
I thought the Food & Wine event normally ran in late May to late June. That would seem to be a more optimum time to hold the event, especially this year.
I thought the Food & Wine event normally ran in late May to late June. That would seem to be a more optimum time to hold the event, especially this year.
I can see wanting to move it earlier in the year, when it isn’t as hot. I’ve actually always wished it was in the spring as opposed to the summer, because the heat makes me lose my appetite.
I just did a search through and every previous F&W has started no earlier then May so that point is very well made. I think that part of what was in play may have been a cooperate decision that they wanted both BG park using the same even calendar as Tampa has been running the same events as BGW. That would make sense from a marketing standpoint since most of that is being centralized in Florida right now.
I feel that it's also giving the park a pass to say schools in and that is where the staffing issue is. That is true to a point but the park has not been taking the necessary step either. From what I either directly know or have heard independently from enough to to strongly believe Busch either lost through long furloughs or in some cases just not choosing to bring them ALL of their chefs and senior culinary people leaving the department to be run by a combination of mid level leadership stepping up and higher level park leadership filling in to provide guidance. On a more front line level I personally know two restaurant line supervisors that have NEVER received a call to see if they would be interested in coming back to work. So There is at least a group of employees that Busch just does not even seem to be trying to get right now while they are having staffing issues.
I also dont want it too early in the spring because I actually want my food warm....wait...scratch that it’s BGW.?
Sounds like they are doing their best to keep a high enough staff to make sense, but cut out the incredibly expensive, the redundant but needed, and cheap over staffing. Like, I get they need to try to make money in restricted times. But they might need to learn where to better cut expenses.
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Given the large scope of the event, I was concerned about getting enough folks to work it at that time of the year. Plus, the new workers are not really up to speed at that point and time. Maybe the park could shift it to start the 2nd-3rd weekend in April and wrap it up by the 2nd-3rd weekend in May (Weekend before Memorial Day weekend).
I guess there are going to be trade-offs when having it early in the season.
Please tell me you ate half of it before taking that picture, and that that isn't the serving size this year.
Not half but about a third. The portion Suze looks the same as last year. Three strips of beef and a scoop of rice.
Haven't seen much about them here, but the Oompah Band in the Festhaus was wonderful. It's such a simple show — just a small band of musicians playing various polka tunes — but their energy was infectious. The cast was dancing around the stage and clearly having a blast, and the music really raised the energy level inside the Festhaus. It was just fun and the audience really seemed to enjoy the upbeat atmosphere while they ate.
Honestly, I wish the park would ditch the big-budget performance shows like OktoberZest and just run a simple show like the Oompah Band during the main season. It's exactly the kind of show the Festhaus needs.
Honestly, I wish the park would ditch the big-budget performance shows like OktoberZest and just run a simple show like the Oompah Band during the main season. It's exactly the kind of show the Festhaus needs.
Definitely gave me This Is Oktoberfest vibes, but it was much simpler. It was just five or so musicians walking and hopping around the stage as they pleased playing some songs. No singing, no choreographed dancing or anything. But that was fine with me. Especially if the park is trying to keep a tight budget, I would have zero problems with a show like that in the Festhaus.
This might be the wrong thread, but I want to say the clientele yesterday was notably worse than it typically is at BGW. Seemed like huge groups of people shouting, running, and being obnoxious all over the park - not just teens, but rude families as well. I've literally never been line-jumped at any park ever as much as I was at BGW yesterday. No idea what the deal is (maybe a lot of the calmer families are choosing to stay home), but it was a striking change from what I'm used to seeing with BGW's guests. Has anyone else noticed this, or was my experience yesterday just a fluke?
You're not alone in that observation. Weekdays seem to be a pretty normal BGW audience (read: families, some groups of calm teens and young adults, etc), but something is up with the weekends right now—lots of loud, rowdy groups, a dash of belligerent, drunk adults, and a sprinkling of rude, inconsiderate, unmonitored kids.
Just yet another reason we desperately need more security presence and rule enforcement right now.
Just yet another reason we desperately need more security presence and rule enforcement right now.
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I have noticed some if it but not to the degree you are describing. I have kinda chucked it up to pent up energy and frustration with a lack of things to do in the park but that might be me seeing it through frustrated eyes and not objectively.