The City of La Porte invited the community for another edition of their Friday Night Live events. Local residents came to celebrate the “Cheeseburger in Paradise” event downtown on Friday, August 9. The name is a homage to the Jimmy Buffett song and came into fruition as a tribute to the legendary artist.
Brett Binversie, director of the Civic Auditorium and La Porte Events, has been ecstatic to witness the growth first-hand of their Friday night festivities.
“Friday Night Live events were started in 2021 with the La Porte Urban Enterprise Association,” Binversie said. “A few people from the city of La Porte got together to host these events so that we could bring people downtown and celebrate the community. It’s grown exponentially every year and it’s a lot of fun.”
One year after the beginning of the Friday Night Live events, the City of La Porte decided to rebrand today’s event to the “Cheeseburger in Paradise” celebration. Binversie shares how they’re bringing this theme to life this year.
“We have the best cheeseburger contest that six of our vendors are competing in,” Binversie said. “We even have a taco vendor that’s doing their take on a smash burger taco. There’s a lot of people here that are dressed for our Hawaiian shirt theme. We have several music choices from yacht rock to a live band to keep people entertained throughout the night.”
While the “Cheeseburger in Paradise” celebration is a unique occasion in the City of La Porte, that’s not to say these events are unordinary for this community. Events such as their Taco Fest and Sunflower Fair are other distinct ways that the City of La Porte gives back to the community.
Binversie believes that these are the type of events that make this a special community to be a part of.
“The people here love live music and enjoying themselves in this camaraderie,” Binversie said. “The great thing about these events is that everyone seems to get along and the local businesses are always in favor of them. It’s a great opportunity for people to advertise their place. That’s what we want for these businesses.”
Ben Konowitz, owner of LaPorte Seamless Gutter, is no stranger to these events. He’s a big fan of the atmosphere provided at the Friday Night Live events.
“The city has done a great job of putting these things on,” Konowitz said. “The feedback we received last year was incredibly supportive. The food is delicious and everybody has a smile on their face.”
Konowitz was a sponsor for this year’s event. He’s had a strong relationship with the City of La Porte for several years.
“I was all in when Brett asked me a few years ago if I wanted to sponsor one of them,” Konowitz said. “At first I wanted the taco truck one, but when he said there was a cheeseburger one, I was even more excited. I got an opportunity to judge the contest last year which was pretty cool. I love supporting anything that brings a smile to people’s faces. These events always run pretty smoothly, and it’s always a great time.”
The City of La Porte has a lot to look forward to with the future of these events. Konowitz also recognized Mayor Tom Dermody for bringing a culture to the city that benefits so many people and local businesses through these opportunities.
For more information on the City of La Porte, you can visit their website.
