STREET PARTY
Silver City brewery to offer craft beers from around the state
Hop on over to Silver City for some great beer and good fun.
Little Toad Creek Brewery & Distillery is holding its annual Toad Fest Street Party in Silver City. It will feature craft beers from around the state, as well as family fun. Participating breweries are Bosque Brewing Co., Drafty Kilt Brewing Co., La Cumbre Brewing Co., Marble Brewery, Palmer Brewery, Santa Fe Brewing Co., Sierra Blanca Brewing Co., Sidetrack Brewing Co., Taos Mesa Brewing Co. and Tractor Brewing Co.
“The main thing is it is a celebration of craft beer in the most remote corners of the state, and the (New Mexico Brewers) Guild has been making an effort to get out of Albuquerque and Santa Fe,” said John Gozigian, executive director of the New Mexico Brewers Guild. “Toad Fest brings beer from around the state to Little Toad. They do a block party and a festival thing.”
Gozigian said Silver City does not see the selection of New Mexico craft beers that places like Albuquerque and Santa Fe get to enjoy. Therefore Toad Fest allows people in the Silver City area to try and buy different craft beers from several New Mexico breweries that might not regularly be available there.
Toad Fest takes place along Bullard Street, a major street in downtown Silver City, Gozigian said. Entertainment will be provided by Tiffany Christopher, Tularosa Basin Musicians Union and Shotgun Calliope.
“They block it off, about half the block, and do live music and all kinds of games, like cornhole and ring toss, and they have DJs,” he said. “Last year, they had a bounce house for kids.
“There is no cover. You just go and you can buy beer from any of the participating breweries. You can buy from Little Toad Creek (Corner Pub), and they sell it there. It’s all-day entertainment that offers music, it is all free, all the games are free. It is a fiesta-type of event.”
Little Toad recently moved its brewery and distilling operation downtown in front of its taproom, Gozigian said. Little Toad moved into an old skating rink, which it renovated. Its operation was previously in the mountains near Lake Roberts, north of Silver City. The new brewery has a 15-barrel system that allows Little Toad to produce up to 9,000 barrels of beer annually, according to the brewery’s website.