Gladefest 2017!!!
We…read moreattended Gladefest in Gladeville this past Saturday. We live in Smyrna, so we travel 840 to Stewarts Ferry Pike. The line on the interstate was backed up on the shoulder all the way back to Nashville Speedway! People were getting out of their cars and tossing footballs, having picnic lunches in the median and tailgating - some of that may not be true - well most of it - OK! ALL OF IT WAS A LIE! I Truth is, once we got to the end of the off-ramp at Stewarts Ferry Pike, we might have had to wait on one car and a 4 wheeler before we could turn left.
Our daughter, her husband and our grandson live in Gladeville, so we make it a point to attend if at all possible - rained it out last year so we have not been in a while. We ease into "town" up to the 4-way stop and turn left to park behind the church. The cost of parking for the yearly event has gone through the roof! They don't have you towed if you don't pay - someone slashes all of your tires and keys your fender. "Hi. My name is Ron and I am a habitual liar!" Parking is free. The car show is a pretty big deal with about 200 cars and trucks. A friend of mine took 1st place in his class with his step-side pickup.
Gladefest is basically just an excuse to eat from a food truck and buy things you want to sell in your next yard sale. We had been looking for an older wooden chair for our patio and found one for $15! They also have a 5K charity run and a 1K fun run the night before. There are several types of food to choose from, but nothing weird like the fair. The Chop Shop was there as was Fried Green Tomatoes - two Wilson County Fair staples. Burgers, barbeque, hot dogs, The Glade Diner, corn on the cob, funnel cakes, fried pickles, deep fried Oreos, fried crickets - just seeing if you were listening....
It started getting hot and food we (well I) was interested in at first didn't have the same appeal once it started warming up. Wanting to cool off and sit with the family for a bit, we went into this market. Market is somewhat of a misnomer (Google the word) - it is more of a cafeteria style restaurant with a few staples and snacks. If you want late night snacks better come early - they close early. They have meat and three or is it two? Probably both. They have burgers, hot dogs, fries and such. BUT, they also serve fresh made Oriental food! After sitting there for a bit watching the kids eat and smelling what was cooking we decided to get a couple of their soon to be world famous eggrolls - they are made in-house - as an appetizer before going out in the heat to eat. I heard a rumor that if you just tell them what you want - they will make it...
There is not really set rules on how you order. If they come by your table - which they did to bring the kids food - you can tell them what you want - "Two eggrolls, please!" Otherwise, I THINK you go an order under that big sign that says "ORDER HERE". I might be wrong. You tell them what you want, go sit down if dining in and they bring it to your table or yell what it is if they don't see you. You get your drinks from a cooler in the dining room and it is pretty much a honor system. You eat your food you drink your drink then go and tell them what you had - don't forget that Snickers bar in your pocket!
"Two egg rolls, please!" Ummm Hmmm..."Oh, we would like to order Orange Chicken, too!" We get the eggrolls - gone! I get the Orange Chicken - OH MAN! DELICIOUS! It appears they use boneless half breasts, batter and fry them, then tear into chunks before adding the sauce. I wasn't overwhelmed by breading - it really was good. Wife samples our daughter's stir-fried veggies and rice - "Could we get an order of stir-fried veggies and rice?" You're starting to catch on aren't you? Needless to say, we did not eat from a food truck - although the Market had one set up in their parking lot! The owners/workers are all very friendly...and not that it matters, they are of Asian descent.
