Hopping good time
Head to Mount Snow Brewers Festival in Vermont for craft beer, music, food and fun
There are beer festivals and then there is the Mount Snow Brewers Festival in West Dover, Vt., now in its 24th year.
Set for this weekend (Saturday and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. each day), the festival is the perfect hit-the-road-forthe-holiday adventure.
One of the many great things about Mount Snow is its location. While traffic will be snarled heading toward the Cape and straight north, there's a little less stress heading northwest. Mount Snow is tucked into southwestern Vermont, an easy shot across our state.
And let's talk about the setting: Nestled into the peaks that make up Mount Snow, the festival offers spectacular scenery. With the drier weather this summer, some Vermonters have already reported a spot of changing colors here and there. Expect the air to be crisper and cooler too, a refreshing change after the hot week Bostonians have endured.
Then there is the festival itself. Launched by a group of passionate brewers (did you know craft beer as an industry was practically born in Vermont?), it is thought to be the original festival of its kind in the region. In the early years, it drew in perhaps 100 guests who would sample a couple of dozen craft brews and pair them with classic foods.
Today, the event draws thousands (they even had to increase the event space since last summer). In fact, the festival isn't just tucked into a base lodge or the base: It takes place on the summit, too. Beer lovers ride the lift up (or the hardy can hike) and, at mountaintop, find a Summit Beer Garden with live music, craft beer and barbecue. (Tip: Those who love the summit and want to ride the lift back down should time their day to head to the lift by about 4 p.m., as lines can back up shortly after that. But no worries, you can continue your fun at the base when you unload.)
Music is a big part of the event. (What good is a perfect beer without just the right music to enjoy it with?) There will be live stage performances throughout, starting on Saturday with a performance by Brewers Festival favorite Jeff Tuohy Band, which rocks upbeat covers and classic originals that keep you dancing, with more live music from Acoustica, the Elliot St. Alibi and Kwame Binea Shakedown on Sunday.
Food is celebrated as well. Food central is a huge barbecue set up at Cuzzins deck (one of the best apres
spots around — especially great this time of year). Vendors are plentiful, serving up all those perfect beer pairings like kettle corn, crepes, waffles (really!) and a few other surprises for noshing fun.
There are special ways to take it to another level. First up is the Hops for Hope 5K, held in partnership with the American Cancer Society, on Saturday morning. Runners and walkers can line up and burn off some calories ahead of all the beer and treats, all while helping serve cancer patients and helping to cure cancer. In its fifth year at the festival, the Hops for Hope 5K has raised thousands for the cause. The run/walk begins at 9 a.m. and takes you through varied terrain, making it extra fun and scenic.
Of course there’s swag. Prizes will be awarded to the top three men and top three women, and all participants will receive a specialty men’s or women’s T-shirt and a limited-edition Hops for Hope pint beer glass. The top fundraiser will receive a 2018-19 Mount Snow Season Pass.
Another fun add-on is the annual T-shirt contest, which, despite this being an adult-themed event, is rated G. This popular annual contest challenges friends to create a T shirt for the event. The team with the most creative T-shirts, as voted on by the public, wins free admission to the 11th annual Winter Brewers Festival in April. Teams must meet at the 60th anniversary chair near the Bluebird Express on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. or 4:30 p.m. Teams don’t have to be huge: Any size team works.
Of course, the main thing is the beer. This year, the festival expects to be pouring the goods of more than 50 brewers from over 100 taps. Tickets are discounted if purchased ahead of time, and details on prices are at mountsnow.com. The event is geared toward being adult only; the Octoberfest in the fall is a more familyfriendly event.
Breathtaking views, endless beer and cider choices, great food and a ton of fun. Sound like Labor Day to you? Then head to Mount Snow.