Mars to host annual Brew Fest
The intersection of Pittsburgh Street and Grand Avenue in Mars will welcome about 20 local breweries for the 11th annual craft beer festival, Mars Brew Fest, this weekend. The borough is anticipating 800 to 1,200 attendees.
The event runs from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 6, with tickets costing $35 presale and $40 the day of. Tickets offer guests unlimited samplings, and access to a wide array of food options. Pittsburgh country rock band Noble Hops will provide live music. Designated drivers can attend for free.
Some hometown favorites will be featured, including Thick City, Conny Creek, Dented Keg, Erie Brewing, Missing Links, North Country Brewing, Recon Brewing, Shoe Brew, Old Thunder and more.
“There’s a lot of variety in terms of what (the different breweries) bring to the festival, so one beer is not the same as the next,” Mars Mayor Gregg Hartung said. “Having food and entertainment along with it helps.”
From everything Mexican to Italian and American-style cuisines, the center of Mars will also welcome food vendors such as Mars Pizza, China House and Big Shot Bob’s.
The post office will act as the entrance to the festival, where attendees can get wristbands. Red and green wristbands will differentiate between the drinkers and designated drivers. Parking will be located behind the stores on Railroad Street and behind the post office.
Hartung said 100% of the festival’s proceeds go to the borough’s biennial Mars New Year celebration.
“It takes the planet Mars almost double what it takes to go around the sun as what Earth does,” Hartung said. “So, we have the Mars festival every two years and the Brew Fest every year that helps fund the Mars New Year festival.”
The New Year’s celebration is a Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math festival that centers on space education and travel to the planet Mars.
The biennial planet-themed festival aims to “educate and talk to people about not only the planet Mars, but the idea of how to get to Mars,” Hartung said.
Mars Brew Fest is for people ages 21 and over. Children and pets are not permitted. The full list of breweries and food vendors can be found at marsnewyear.com/marsbrewfest. The ticket presale ends midnight June 6.
