Collegiate Times

The Blacksburg Partnership, a nonprofit organization, will host the fourth annual Blacksburg Brew Do, a craft beer festival at the First & Main Shopping District on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 from noon to 6:00 p.m.

Last year’s festival attracted a crowd of 4,000 people, and 28 breweries offered 100 different beer varieties. This year, the festival will entice the crowd with beers crafted by one of the best craft brewers in the mid-Atlantic region, offering choices of ales, ciders, pale ale, wheat and specialty beers.

“This year will feature a lot more stuff than last year. We will have 11 more breweries than last year, which means more beer to sample, the cooking with beer demonstrations and home brew tent that does home brew demonstrations and formal segment where geography instructor John Boyer will demonstrate the art of home brewing at the event,” said Diane Akers, the Blacksburg Partnership president.

The second annual Howls and Meows, a charity component of the Blacksburg Partnership, will come back to the festival to fundraise to benefit the Animal Welfare Foster Program, a non-profit animal rescue organization that saves animals from euthanasia. They’ve constructed 11 luxury pet houses to be raffled. The money raised will be benefits for the AWFP.

The festival will run the fourth annual Blacksburg Do Homebrew competition. Brewers from across the region will compete to win for the title “Best in Show,” whose winner is given the opportunity to brew their recipe at Bull & Bones Brewhaus and have it served as the seasonal beer in the restaurant.

Live music performance will be the perfect complement with the savory beer. The bands that will be presented at the event are the Gov’t Plant and 3 Minute Lovin’, known for its old school rock and roll of the 50s, surf music of the 60s and garage punk of the 70s.

Foods vendors, like Bulls & Bones, Sal, Preston’s and Hethwood Market, will offer samples to festival attendees. The festival will have variety of food ranging from BBQ, brats, funnel cakes and kettle corn.

“Come out have a great time,” said Akers.

A version of this article appeared in the Oct 5 issue of the Collegiate Times.