Fresh Fest, Pittsburgh’s first black beer festival, has outgrown its original venue.
The Aug. 11 fest, featuring black-owned and -run breweries as well as prominent black collaborators with local breweries, has expanded so much that it didn’t look like it would comfortably fit into the original venue of Threadbare Cider House & Meadery in the North Side neighborhood of Spring Garden.
So the organizers — the guys behind the “Drinking Partners” podcast and the forthcoming Black Brew Culture online magazine — decided to move it to a bigger space: The Courtyard at Nova Place on the North Side (100 S. Commons St., Pittsburgh, PA).
“When we first mapped out the event, we had 20 brewers and 10 collabs. Now we have 37 brewers and 25 collabs,” says Day Bracey, who with fellow comic Ed Bailey hosts the “Drinking Partners.” They and Black Brew Culture’s Mike Potter decided to make the switch on Sunday. Threadbare still is on board as an enthusiastic sponsor.
It’ll be easy for attendees that Saturday, who only have to slightly alter their destination (they will be sent emails about the switch). For organizers, notes Mr. Bracey, “This means the event has more space, [more] tickets, on-site parking and is walking distance from Downtown.”
In addition to mind-boggling amounts of brews, many of them made specifically for this event, there will be mobile food vendors, live music and merchandise.
The VIP/meet-the-brewers/live podcast event, originally scheduled for the Wigle Barrelhouse and Whiskey Garden near Threadbare, now will happen at Alloy 26 at Nova Place from 1 to about 3 p.m. A total of only 100 VIP tickets are available.
Tickets are $94.25 for VIP, $74.25 for early admission (4 to 9 p.m.) and $49.25 for general admission (5 to 9 p.m.). Designated drivers can attend for $20. Parking is available for $5.
Get tickets and more details at https://freshfestbeerfest.com.
Nova Place is also the venue for the release party of the Pittsburgh Brewers Guide of the Pittsburgh Brewers Guild from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 24. Tickets are $59.15 at http://pghbreweryguide.com.
Watch for more Post-Gazette coverage of both events closer to the event dates.
Bob Batz Jr.: bbatz@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1930 and on Twitter @bobbatzjr.
First Published: July 30, 2018, 12:23 p.m.
