Arts, Beats, & Eats review

I know it's a couple weeks after the fact, but I wanted to share my experiences. First off let me share this was my first AB&E experience, and it was average at best, but has potential.

When we first arrived we were already through the turnstiles before security chased us down and stopped us to look through our diaper bag.  Also, the whole entrance/exit gate areas need to be reworked, they put them right next to concert stages so its hard to hear the cashiers and ask questions.

Next we started walking around aimlessly, because again I could not hear the cashiers if there were maps of the event available.  We finally found the main stage and my wife and I enjoyed watching Saving Abel and Theory of a Dead Man.  The only complaint I have was lack of shade over part of the area to be cool, as it was hot & sunny.

After the musical acts, we started walking past a few food booths and was suprised at how expensive some of the food was.  I was not expecting things to be that expensive so we ended up holding off on eating until after we left and ate in Downtown Royal Oak.  We did find a carnival food trailer that was accepting cash or tickets and I did the math it was $2.50 for a pop cash or the cash equivalent was $3.15 using tickets.

On our way out we walked past some art booths and I was disappointed.  I was expecting better quality or at least a juried event, but some of the items I saw were not even made they were bought at a store and trying to be resold for profit.

I do want to salute the men & women of the Royal Oak PD & FD.  I saw the FD run 3 medical calls in the same area within 30mins, they were so busy even the Chief and other fire officers were getting hands on helping out at medical calls.  I do suggest that the city make the event hire a private EMS agency to assist with the call volume.  The PD was great they were there and you could see them, but at the same time they stayed out of sight, unless needed.

I don't know how the event faired later in the evening, but I did not see any serious issues while we were there and will definitely be back in the future.