By Olivia DeWan, contributor
Food, friends and drinks are in store at the third Friendly City Beer Fest on April 25. Sage Bird Ciderworks and Restless Moons Brewing are collaborating to bring the Valley a selection of unique beverages to celebrate Harrisonburg’s craft producers.
“I think it’s just a really cool way for the community to come together and have fun,” said Amberlee Carlson, an owner of Sage Bird Ciderworks. “It’s not just about one business, but it’s about the entire community and beyond. We have producers from all over Shenandoah Valley and Richmond coming to participate.”
After the Rocktown Beer and Music Festival ended, Carlson and Jeffrey Moon, an owner of Restless Moons Brewing, decided to create a new event.
“Zach [Carlson], Amberlee, and I were going back to our places after an HDR meeting, and we just thought it was a bummer that the Rocktown Beer Festival wasn’t going to happen anymore,” Moon said. “We decided to try and figure out if we could do our own version of it so we could keep it going in spirit.”
From 1 to 6 p.m., vendors will transform the field behind Restless Moons Brewing into a hub of brewing culture.
The event is open to those 21 and older, and tickets can be purchased online. Attendees can choose from two different ticket options, and the VIP ticket, which is being offered for the first time, features unlimited tastings.
“A big vision for the event is inviting local producers, vendors, and restaurants,” Carlson said. “We are all small businesses, and we need to do these things together to back each other up and use our resources to help each other.”
Carlson said in addition to at least 17 beverage producers, attendees can expect a permanent jewelry vendor, caricatures, and “fairy hair” so everyone can take a piece of the Friendly City Beer Fest home with them.
“In any industry, the more you can support the local business, all of those dollars go back into the community,” Moon said. “When you go and support local breweries and ciders right here in the Valley, it really means something to us.”
Moon said the core of the Friendly City Beer Fest is “building a more resilient community for everybody.” Carlson echoed that sentiment.
“We really want to celebrate the community around us,” Carlson said. “We want to celebrate the cool things happening in the Shenandoah Valley.”
After the festival, a free after-party will be held a block away at Sage Bird.
“After the event ends at 6, everyone can just come over to Sage Bird, and we’re going to have a DJ from 8pm to midnight,” Carlson said. “We will also have any leftover beers from the festival for sale, so if people can’t come to the festival, they can still experience some of the beer and cider.”
Carlson said the event is ultimately about more than just the festivities.
“I really hope people are excited and come out to support this,” Carlson said. “I think events like this are really important for community celebration and building a good neighborly feel.”
Thanks for reading The Citizen, which won the Virginia Press Association’s 2022 News Sweepstakes award as the top online news site in Virginia. We’re independent. We’re local. We pay our contributors, and the money you give goes directly to the reporting. No overhead. No printing costs. Just facts, stories and context. We value your support.
