Named Lakewood's BIGGEST SUMMER BLOCK PARTY, this festival had approximately 15,000 people in…read moreattendance. There were food, clothing, art, and other kinds of vendors in attendance.
I attended the Lakewood Summer Meltdown Festival on 15 July 2023 which was a Saturday. Oh, it was a meltdown alright - not only did it rain at certain points throughout the day, but it was also hot too so needless to say, we were all melting...haha. For the most part though, I didn't walk all day in an umbrella so besides the rain, my friends and I had fun.
BIG YET FUN ATMOSPHERE -- The festival is large because it spans down about 6 side streets all along Detroit Ave. in downtown Lakewood. There was a fun 1-mile family run and walk which I didn't do but I saw kids and adults lining up to race.
There were many vendors and I didn't see them all or I passed through some of the vendor stations without fully stopping in each vendor booth. I did stop by the Seeds of Literacy table where I could take a free book plus I received a mini notebook, tote bag, and a pencil case from them. It was great to hear about all the wonderful things they do to bring literacy to those in need. They are always seeking volunteers to help so reach out to them if you are interested.
If you have young children including teenagers, this festival is a great way to bring them out to experience food and culture in a fun and safe environment. Some vendors had activities for young kids to do such as arts and crafts.
FOOD AND DRINKS -- There were about 7 options to choose from which isn't alot. I also bought some filipino egg rolls, called Lumpia, from the Parilya food truck and they were delicious. I think I bought the beef and pork lumpia or just the beef one. I also bought a 16-oz bottle of fresh orange juice from a new company called "Socially Raw". Specifically, I got the "Buster" which includes organic pineapple, orange, lemon, and ginger. To satisfy my sweet tooth, I bought some small cake pops from a cake pop shop but I forgot the name of the business.
SAFETY -- I saw some Lakewood police officers walking down Detroit Ave. to make sure everyone remains safe.
If you are looking to get out of your house or apartment in the summer months then I recommend the Lakewood Summer Meltdown festival in July as a fun activity. As of the time of the writing of this review, the festival was held in July 2023.
I would suggest more food options for next year. My friend and I ended up getting lunch at a Thai restaurant on Detroit Ave. because we weren't fully interested in any of the food vendors but it was actually cheaper to eat at one of the surrounding restaurants.
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- 97/150 total reviews in 2023
- 648 total overall Yelp reviews
- Reviewed on 19 December 2023