Summer Party Provisions

As Martha & The Vandellas once said, summer’s here, and the time is right for dancing in the streets. If you’re hosting a party on your street this Memorial Day or over the summer, you’ll need some supplies. Here are my top five picks for your shopping lists, plus three local events that would be less trouble than hosting your own.

1.) My first stop is always Town Talk Foods. With locations in Fort Worth (121 N Beach St, 817-831-6136), Arlington (2320 S Collins St, 817-435-2300), and Weatherford (106 College Park Dr, 817-438-8099), this discount grocer won’t have everything you need, but what you do find will save you a great deal of money. Grab some gourmet items, meat, cheese, and even beer and wine at a deep discount, and then complete your menu with foods from your favorite usual grocery store. Town Talk usually is open Mon-Sat but will be closed this Monday. Shop now.

2.) The summer crops are here! While Town Talk does have produce on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, you could also nab the onions, peppers, and tomatoes for that fresh salsa recipe you’ve wanted to try at the farmers’ market. Keep it local by shopping at places like Cowtown Farmers Market (3821 Southwest Blvd, CowtownMarket.com) or Green’s Produce (3001 W Arkansas Ln, Arlington, 817-274-2435). Both have a variety of Texas food vendors with specialty items beyond produce, plus flowers that would make great hostess gifts. Cowtown is open Wednesdays and Saturday mornings only. Green’s is open seven days a week.

3.) Enjoying Jell-O shots at the bar is quick and easy, but making them at home is different. Along with take-away gallons of margaritas and other yummy frozen drinks in various flavors, Muy Frio (3613 W Vickery Blvd, Ste 109, 817-238-3386) will also hook you up with Jell-O Shot Kits for $18. Receive a quart jug of liquid courage in your favorite flavor and 16 2-oz containers. Simply pour and refrigerate. You’ll be ready to party in 15 minutes. Muy Frio is closed on Mondays, so stop in now thru Sunday.

4.) Those of us in apartment homes with no grills for grilling may want to outsource the meat this weekend. While Google thinks The Sausage Shoppe is out of business, this longstanding Fort Worth business simply moved away from its original Altamesa Village location. It is now located at 3515 Sycamore School Rd (817-921-9960). This restaurant is my go-to for sausage, of course, and soul food in general. Drop in for smaller to-go orders, but call ahead for larger catering needs. The Sausage Shoppe is closed on Mondays, so stop in now thru Sunday.

5.) If you want to be the hand-held hero party guest or host, snag a dozen empanadas from Del Campo Empanadas (10724 N Beach St, 817-562-5888). Like a box of chocolates, these puppies come with a diagram to tell which flavor is which by shape. Along with a traditional Argentine-style beef empanada, other flavors available include classic beef, chicken, ham and cheese, and shrimp, plus caprice and spinach, which are vegetarian, for $3.90 a piece. You can also order a mixed dozen for $42 at DelCampoEmpanadas.com. (Del Campo is open seven days a week, including Memorial Day Monday.)

6.) Those not up for hosting a party themselves can make plans to have a little adult fun at Camp Wild Acre at Wild Acre Brewing (1734 E El Paso St, Ste 190, 817-882-9453) 11am-6pm Sat. Along with three unique beer varieties, including Banana Pudding Hefeweizen, Punch Bowl Fruit Punch Sour, and S’mores Stout, exclusive Camp Wild Acre camping mugs are available for purchase. Enjoy camp activities, live music, and food trucks, too. There is no cost to attend.

7.) There is also a special event at Martin House Brewery (220 S Sylvania Av, Ste 209, 817-222-0177) on Saturday. Head to the Galapagos Beer Launch & Iguana Meet & Greet noon-5pm. Yes, you read that correctly. Two iguanas will be on-site to meet you along with their human handlers from the International Iguana Foundation (IguanaFoundation.org, 817-237-9034). This Fort Worth-based environmental conservation group inspired the new beer variety. “The artwork depicted here represents the endangered Red Iguana in Galapagos,” Martin House says. “One of their favorite treats is the hibiscus flower, so we brewed up a fresh batch of Galapagos 7% Hibiscus Saison and will be donating 25% of can sales to the IIF.” Galapagos is a taproom exclusive available on draft and in cans to-go. Local food truck Kelly’s Onion Burgers will be on hand. This event is free to attend, but for $15, you can purchase a wristband and receive one souvenir pint glass and four beer pours.

8.) Fuel 2.0 Bar & Grill (2616 E Belknap St, 817-683-3854), a multi-year winner of the Best Biker Bar category in our annual Best Of edition, revamped its food menu right before the pandemic to include catfish and shrimp along with its traditional burger-with-fries option. For the Memorial Day Celebration on Monday, the focus will be hamburgers and hot dogs available for purchase all day and live music by The Trespassers, a trio that plays punk, outlaw country, and rockabilly. There is no cover to attend.

Read about summer patio options in Last Call: Patio Season Regardless in #SummerEdition2022.