Kent Jaycees Craft Beer Fest on tap May 20 in downtown Kent
The Kent Jaycees Craft Beer Fest presented by Ray’s Place returns for its fifth year on May 20.
From 2-6 p.m., beer enthusiasts can sample the wares of 27 breweries from across the region, including operations from Youngstown and Canton. The festival will be spread out along North Water Street, from the Hometown Bank Plaza to Portage Street. The event is free to walk through, but those 21 and older wishing to drink will need to buy a ticket.
Local Kent breweries Bell Tower Brewing Co. and North Water Brewing will be on hand, as will a number of Akron breweries.
More Beer: Hundreds gather in downtown Kent for Craft Beer Festival
Six food trucks will be on-site, offering vittles from barbecue to vegetarian. Live entertainment will be provided by a DJ from Beach Boyz Entertainment.
General admission includes 10 4-ounce samples and a souvenir glass.
Along with admission, VIP ticketholders get 20 4-ounce samples, a souvenir glass, T-shirt, VIP-only check-in, access to a special VIP area, a voucher for $10 at a food vendor, and early 1 p.m. entry.
Profits from the festival will be donated to a local community organization.
New faces at Kent Jaycees Craft Beer Fest
Andrew Madonio, a member of the Kent Jaycees and one of the event's co-chairs, said this is the most breweries they've had signed up to serve at the festival in its five-year history, an expansion driven by positive word-of-mouth.
The new faces include Biker Brewhouse LLC of Youngstown, Birdfish Brewing Co. of Columbiana, Muskellunge Brewing Co. of Canton and The 1547 Project of Girard.
"We're at the point where breweries are actually contacting us to be a part of it," Madonio said. "Getting it off the ground, we had to do some legwork to convince (breweries) to come to our festival."
Now, he said, with four years of successful festivals on the books, breweries have begun recognizing that the event is a good way for them to get their name out to craft beer drinkers.
Contact reporter Derek Kreider at DKreider@Gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Kent Jaycees Craft Beer Fest returns to downtown with 27 breweries
