Is anyone going to the Brickworks picnic?

[swissmissy]

I'll be honest, I've always enjoyed good food but this is the first year I've really done things like read the Chow boards to find out about things like the picnic.

Is it worth the money? Any past experience that you'd like to share?

[povprod]

I've been told that there is no parking (due to construction etc.) and what little there is will fill up quickly. There will also be a fee for parking. Best thing to do is take transit. There will be shuttle buses continuously running from Broadview station to the Brick Works, so it's highly recommended that you do that. Wear comfortable shoes as well! Tickets are selling really quickly too.

[bytepusher]

I don't think I can stress enough, don't even think about driving and parking, as it is the regular Saturday farmer's market is a parking mess made worse as the construction whittles down the number of available spots week to week by the time the staff and chefs get all their vehicles in there there will definitely not be free space . The shuttles do a pretty good job and just to be clear the pickup spot is at Broadview and Erindale, the first corner North of the subway station, not right at the station. Everyone takes the shuttle, I mean everybody, Last year we rode the shuttle with Adrienne Clarkson.

[farmers]

Last years was fantastic in my opinion. This year it's over my due date so I opted to not attend.
At the very end when we were leaving some farmers gave us their veggie display! I whole bag of beautiful heirloom tomatoes and other veggies.

[chefhound]

I went last year and really enjoyed it. Particularly the burger from David Lee (Spendido) - I think it was short rib and wagyu? Also the sorbet from Statlander.
I was looking at the list of participants. It doesn't look like as many of the top tier restaurants/chefs are participating this year. I didn't see Lee or Statlander on the list this year. But the ethnic theme seems interesting. I can't wait!
A tip:
Make sure your hands are free to juggle your wine glass and food - so if you're bringing a purse, make it one that you don't have to hold (across the body) and bring lots of wipes. And don't wear white.

[povprod]

Nuit blanche is running the night before, so some chefs couldn't do it this year, but the line up is really good. Great suggestion on going "hands free"! Think I'll be using the purse backpack to avoid the juggling act!

[childofthestorm]

How crowded does it get? Wondering if it's manageable with our 1 year-old in her stroller.

[swissmissy]

I was thinking the same thing. I am definitely leaving my three year old with the babysitter but was windering about the baby.... I think though it will be much more enjoyable having both my hands free and not having to worry about the stroller.

[bobbob911]

Anyone know if you can go and come back? We live in the area so we were thinking of going early, and then returning closer to the end again when we have some hunger back!

[povprod]

I don't think you can leave and come back, but there will be raffles and entertainment to keep you busy while you are taking a break from eating for a while.

[Jacquilynne]

Last year they gave us wristbands when we came in, and people did wander off down the trails and come back in. You might find leaving and coming back logistically challenging given the lack of parking, unless you plan to walk or cycle, but unless they've change their admission procedures it should be possible. You should check with Evergreen to be sure, though.

[bobbob911]

Thanks, but I should have known better - the amount of food we ate the first pass there was no way there would be room for more in a couple hours :-)

Great event!

[Prok]

Not so much with a stroller. (It's been many years for me, but given that the event is over lunch.nap, supper hours, I can't imagine it would be a good experience with a baby.) Mind you, many babies/toddlers are awesome! I really think it depends upon what the kids have been exposed to and are comfortable with.The event gets VERY crowded, but for me as a person sans children, never unmanageable. It's meant to be crowded and overflowing with guests. Good cause, great food.

[merlot143]

I'd leave the kid at home. It gets very crowded and people don't always look where they're going esp. if they're eating at the same time. Last year was incredibly hot and there wasn't a place where you could take the baby inside for some cool temperatures.

[Jacquilynne]

It's really a zoo. I didn't find there were a lot of lines and waiting, but it's very crowded and quarters are quite tight. I don't think you could bring a baby. I don't remember seeing anyone with small children there last year -- I'm not even certain it would be permitted, as it's a 19+ event (wine is poured freely throughout). You'd definitely want to check with them before you bought a ticket.

[bytepusher]

I've been to the previous two, and am going again, obviously I think it's worth the money, and remember it is a fundraiser so think of some of the money as not exactly paying for the food you get.

Go hungry and pace yourself, one taste from every station was more than I could manage last year.

[TorontoJo]

Here's a discussion of last year's picnic, including a link to a photo set that fickle took. I absolutely loved it and bought tickets as soon as they went on sale. The theme this year is "ethnic" so there will be more flavours from around the world, which I'm looking forward to.

I totally think it's worth it. The tickets are not cheap ($90 before August something, $110 now), but you're essentially getting 4 hours of non-stop eating and drinking.

Tip: bring a plate and a wine holder clip.

[Yum2MyTum]

Hi TorontoJo - I don't see a link to the discussion you're referring to?

[CeeQueue]

This is probably the one that was meant to be linked:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/557344

[TorontoJo]

Doh! Sorry for forgetting the link, and thanks, CeeQueue for posting it!

[dxs]

Hi TorontoJo, just wondering - do you recommend bringing a plate for environmentally friendly reasons, or did you find that there was a shortage at previous events?

[TorontoJo]

Heh, sorry for the vague tip. Last year, the organizers encouraged the chefs to create food that did not require plates or cutlery, as they wanted to minimize the environmental impact of disposable stuff. This is one reason there were so many bread-y dishes. As a result, it was sometimes a challenge to eat things while standing or walking around. And not only did you have to juggle your food and napkin, there was also the water and wine to deal with. One of the other hounds there had been there the year before, and she brought her own plate and wine glass clip. It was brilliant. It will also let you sample more than one place at a time and not feel like you have to snarf down one sample before moving on to the next.

[dxs]

Great tip, thanks for elaborating :)

Hopefully the late summer weather we've been having will last into early October!