Good Vibes beer fest returns Saturday

Keith Gushard, The Meadville Tribune, Pa.
·2 min read

Jul. 7—After a two-year hiatus, Voodoo Brewing Co.'s Good Vibes beer fest returns Saturday.

"Third time's the charm" is how the Meadville-based brewery bills the festival's third edition.

After the festival started in 2018 and was held again in 2019, COVID-19 put it on pause in 2020 and 2021.

The Good Vibes Beer Fest is from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at Voodoo's production facility, The Compound, at 834 Bessemer St., Meadville.

There are 49 craft breweries from around the U.S. (including Voodoo), plus Canada and Sweden, participating for "a day of laid-back music, delicious local food, and the best lineup of craft breweries in the nation."

Planning of the 2022 edition of Good Vibes began in earnest in January.

"Right after we came back from Christmas and New Year's break, we had our first meeting," said Matteo Rachocki, chief executive office of employee-owned Voodoo.

There have been relatively few hiccups in getting the event restarted, according to Tom Guzick, Voodoo's director of marketing.

"Shipping beer here internationally has been a little difficult, but otherwise it's been relatively smooth," he said.

Tickets for the festival are $135 each plus fees, and all those attending the festival must be age 21 and up. Tickets are available through Oznr, an online craft beverage marketplace application, or at voodoobrewery.com.

The festival has a mix of both returnees and breweries new to the event.

"We knew we had enough space to do about 50 breweries," Guzick said. "It's people we met through the different events we've done over the years. Some couldn't return, but they sent beer. There's new people coming we've met the last couple of years."

A beneficiary of the festival will be the ARC of Crawford County which helps clients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Rachocki is a member of the ARC of Crawford County Foundation's board of directors.

"We're well associated with the ARC with its work program," Rachocki said.

There are two Voodoo employees from the ARC's work program who have assisted with production operations for about 10 years.

"They're long-time employees who started out with life skills coaches and work independently," said Mark Weindorf, the ARC's executive director.

"Voodoo has helped us with sponsoring 5K races," he continued. "This is a nice fundraiser for us."

"A portion of the proceeds as well as this brilliant silent auction that Tom orchestrated where a lot of the breweries have donated limited release product will benefit the ARC," Rachocki said.

The festival is offering free shuttle services from all Meadville hotels and motels to those attending the event, Rachocki added.

Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at .