Saint Arnold to mark its 30th anniversary with daylong festival
Saint Arnold Brewing Company started its 30th anniversary a little early with its co-founder Brock Wagner serving as grand marshal at the Art Car Parade last weekend.
The company announced plans Friday for its actual 30th anniversary celebration, a daylong festival on June 8 that will include beer, naturally, as well as live music by Devin the Dude, Kam Franklin, Fat Tony, Robert Ellis, Bayou City Funk and DJ Shante and Blue Heron Yacht Club.
Saint Arnold’s chief marketing officer Lennie Ambrose put the idea into motion, enlisting the Houston-based Splice Records and Franklin, a multimedia artist and singer in the Suffers, to curate the lineup for the festival.
Each of the enlisted musical acts will perform.
At the end of the evening, Bayou City Funk will provide the music for the Houston Super Group, which will feature Franklin, Ellis, Tony and Devin performing together.
“To have them play together, we think it’ll be representative of who we are,” says Saint Arnold’s Wagner, “and representative of Houston. We wanted something that reflected the diversity of our customers. Not just country or rap or rock. We wanted something for everybody.
“Kam became the glue that held it all together.”
Franklin, in a statement, said, “It’s going to be a beautiful night in our city.”
Saint Arnold is no stranger to hosting concerts for its birthdays, staring with its 20th. Franklin and the Suffers appeared at the 20th anniversary event shortly before the band enjoyed a big boost from an appearance on “The Late Show With David Letterman.” Ellis played the brewing company’s 25th anniversary.
After graduating from Rice University, Wagner co-founded the company, the first of its kind in Houston and in Texas, on the northwest side of town. Saint Arnold shipped its first keg on June 9, 1994. Demand quickly necessitated growth: Saint Arnold moved into its current spacious confines on Lyons Avenue in Fifth Ward in 2010.
Gates for the June 8 event will open at 11 a.m. Music begins at 2 p.m. and runs until 10 p.m. Admission will be $15 with a $100 VIP option. Tickets and more information can be found at the Saint Arnold website, saintarnold.com.