Downers Grove's Rotary GroveFest to add craft beer festival

DOWNERS GROVE – The Rotary Club of Downers Grove is always looking for ways to improve the Rotary GroveFest. This year, they're introducing a craft beer festival.

The inaugural GroveFest Craft BeerFest will be held from noon to 4 p.m. June 27.

Kent Ebersold, a Rotary Club past president and one of GroveFest's organizers, said the decision to add the beer festival was due to a noticeable weekend lull in the beer garden. The festival will be held in the same area as the beer garden and main stage, south of the railroad tracks between Main Street and Forest Avenue.

Since it's the event's first year, Ebersold doesn't really know what to expect. But he's excited and hopes people will come out.

"We're not afraid to add new things to the fest. And this is one of the newest things we've added," he said.

The Rotary Club described craft beer festivals as a "very popular event for those who wish to taste the wide array of flavors produced by local brewers," in a news release.

Ebersold said he's been seeing more craft beers lately. He was at a college graduation party and noticed attendees bringing six-packs of craft beer.

"I think it's one of those things where people know that the beer is good and some of this beer tastes like water after a while," he said.

With the purchase of a ticket to the Rotary Club's beer festival, participants get 18 drink tickets, each of which can be exchanged for a 3-ounce beer sample.

"It is for people who are looking to have the chance to sample a lot of different beers," Ebersold said.

Tickets can be purchased for $40 at www.rotarygrovefest.com, are limited and include a complimentary admission wristband for the rest of GroveFest.

More than 30 breweries are expected to attend the event, with more than 60 beers available, Ebersold said.

After 4 p.m., the beer garden will open for the rest of the night.

The beer festival is open to those aged 21 and older. Children will not be allowed.

"This is something we wanted to keep as an adult-only event," Ebersold said.

If the beer festival is successful, Ebersold said the club will likely bring it back in the future – and hopefully continue to add to it.

For more information on the GroveFest Craft BeerFest, go to www.rotarygrovefest.com.

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Whose brews?

The following brewers are expected to attend the inaugural GroveFest Craft BeerFest:

• 51st Ward Brewing Co.

• Abita Beer

• Angry Orchard

• Argus Brewery

• Blue Moon Brewing Company

• Boulevard Brewing Company

• Brickstone Brewery

• Chicago Beer Co.

• Crazy Mountain Brewing Co.

• Dogfish Head Brewery

• Emmett's Brewing Co.

• Empirical Brewing Co.

• Firestone Walker Brewery

• Hopothesis Beer Company

• Humboldt Brewing Co.

• Innis & Gunn

• Lakefront Brewery

• Latitude 42

• Leinenkugel Brewing Company

• Magic Hat

• New Belgium Brewing Co.

• New Holland Brewing Company

• Revolution Brewing

• Samuel Adams

• Scorched Earth

• Sierra Nevada

• Slapshot Brewing Co.

• Traveler Beer Company

• Wisconsin Brewing Co.

• Vermont Hard Cider Co.

• Urban Legend Brewing Company.