More Than 175 Beers To Be Featured at Brewfest

Whether you like Becks or Budweiser, a Hoegaarden or a home brew, you’ll find it all at The Original Newtown Brewfest, to be held Saturday, Oct. 22 at the

The event, sponsored by the Newtown Corporation, raises money to support local organizations and promote community events, said Brewfest chairman Mick Petrucci, who is also the president of the Newtown Business and Professional Association.

It will feature more than 175 different beers of all varieties, as well as food, live entertainment and more. Brewfest will be held rain or shine, as the venue is tented, Petrucci said.

There will be both domestic and imports available for tasting. Featured beers include: Land Shark, Hoegaarden, Bass Ale, Lagunitas, Lefthand, Philadelphia Brewing Company, Peroni, Victory, Dark Horse and much more. Click here for a full list.

There will be lots of seasonal selections, said Paul Salvatore, an event organizer.

“There will be a lot of pumpkin beers, a lot of Oktoberfests, a lot of seasonal beers, he said. “We’ve had a great response from the breweries.”

In addition to beer, there will also be wines, ciders and Hank’s Root Beer, Salvatore said. Food vendors will include Green Parrot, Palate, the Temperance House, Applebees, Nomad Pizza and more.

“It’s not just a drinking event,” Salvatore said, adding there will be vendors there selling specialty food items.

A VIP tent will feature select beers for tasting and complimentary food tastings, he added. VIP ticket holders also get into the event an hour early; they can enter at noon, while general admission begins at 1 p.m.

There will also be a home brew competition this year. Anyone who homebrews can enter the contest, said organizer Ken Ogborn. Contact him at homebrews@allaboutnewtown.org to participate. To enter, you need to bring five gallons of homemade beer in either a keg or bottles.

Petrucci said last year's Brewfest raised approximately $50,000, and the money went back to the local community.  It’s the Newtown Corporation’s biggest fundraiser, he added.

“All the proceeds stay local. We support other local organizations and community events,” he said.  “We are all here for one reason – the unification of Newtown. We’re here to support the community.”

Newtown Corporation will use the funds to market and advertise the many community events that go on in town, including Welcome Day, the holiday parade, Market Day, the First Fourth parade and fireworks, the Library 5K and more, he said.

“We also make a lot of charitable donations,” Petrucci said. For instance, in the past year, Newtown Corporation has supported the following organizations: Council Rock Little League, both Council Rock North and South marching bands, Newtown Township’s DARE program, the library and the skate park, among others.

In addition, Petrucci said Newtown Corporation also sponsored the First Fourth fireworks, the holiday parade, the Newtown Uncorked wine tasting event, Restaurant Week and other events.

Last year, more than 2,500 people turned out for Brewfest. This year, Petrucci said tickets are selling quickly.

Ticket sales will be capped at 3,000, Petrucci said, adding that tickets can be pre-purchased online or at the following local merchants: the , , Newtown Swim Club, Deon Beverages in Fairless Hills, Southampton Beverages, Richboro Beer and Soda and Cold Sping Beverages in Yardley.

Three tiers of tickets are for sale. Nobody under 21 is permitted into Brewfest. VIP tickets are $70 and include food, a t-shirt and, of course, beer tastings. General admission is $40. Tickets for designated drivers are $10.

“Our goal is to increase foot traffic throughout our business district and have people from all over visit our historical town,” Petrucci said.

For more information, visit www.allaboutnewtown.org or check out this video.

Click here to purchase tickets.

And check back to Newtown Patch later this week for a full report on the music and entertainment to be featured at Brewfest.