Craft ‘n’ tunes

Wednesday, Dec. 18 — Mid-Michigan already has two-day blues, jazz and folk festivals. This spring, we’re getting a new one, this time dedicated to local musicians and craft beer. The Microbrew & Music Festival, running Friday-Saturday April 18-19, will feature over 100 musicians and over 300 varieties of adult beverages, including craft beers, cider, mead and wine. The whole shebang will happen at Adado Riverfront Park from 5-11 p.m. Friday and noon-11 p.m. Saturday. Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, Dec. 20. 

This is a part of a regional event tour and Lansing is its first stop.

“What better place to showcase a Michigan movement than our capital,” said Sam Porter, founder of the Microbrew & Music Festival. “A lot of our team are MSU graduates. Not only do they know and love Lansing, they wanted to come home and host what they love there. The students and the community deserve it.”

Along with a ticket purchase you will receive five half-pint pours, which you can gulp down in your new custom pilsner glass. The banks of Grand River will be filled with 50-plus Michigan craft breweries, a few handpicked national brews, live music, marching bands, a silent disco tent and local food vendors.

There will also be a homebrew challenge. Approximately 10 local home brewers will create a beer for this event, which attendants will be allowed to sample for free. Certified judges will critique these beers and announcing a winner.

“There are a lot of serious beer drinkers and we want to make sure their expectations are met,” said Porter.

All of the money made in alcohol sales will be donated to the Greater Lansing Food Bank. Additionally, Xero Waste Events, a Michigan nonprofit, will tour with the festival offering recycling services to increase the community’s knowledge on sustainable practices. Xero Waste Event also donates a portion of its yearly revenues to local charities.

Early bird tickets are $40 and are available at microbrewandmusic.com from 5-10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20 and 3-11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21. And yes, you have to be at least 21-years-old to attend.

Additional information is available at microbrewandmusic.com and facebook.com/microbrewandmusic.