Rotary-sponsored beer festival will benefit service groups
By Elizabeth Marie Himchak
An inaugural beer festival organized by Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotarians will benefit five local community service organizations.
The Rancho BEERnardo Festival and Tasting will be 4-7 p.m. Saturday, April 13 in The Plaza at an outdoor space next to Unicorn Jewelry, 16781 Bernardo Center Drive in Rancho Bernardo. The 225 tickets are only being sold online in advance. Click
to order.
Tickets are $40 per person, ages 21 and older. The price includes a flight of eight beers plus appetizers. Wine and non-alcoholic beverages will be available to those not interested in sampling beer. Festival chairwoman Laura Mello said there will also be two food trucks for those who would like to purchase a meal.
Mello said $10 from each ticket will go to the nonprofit organization designated by the ticket purchaser. In addition, since each group will have a table at the festival, attendees can make additional direct donations to help the charities of their choice.
The beneficiary groups are:
• Ed Brown Senior Center at Rancho Bernardo provides programs plus educational and social opportunities for the area’s older residents.
• Team Red, White & Blue works to enrich veterans’ lives by connecting them to their community through physical and social activities.
• Poway Valley Therapeutic Riding Center (PoVa) uses equine assisted activities and therapies to help children and adults with physical, cognitive and/or emotional disabilities.
• Fresh Start Surgical Gifts transforms the lives of disadvantaged infants, children and teens with physical deformities caused by birth defects, accidents, abuse or disease by providing reconstructive surgery and related healthcare services.
• Oasis Haven cares for abandoned children in South Africa by placing them with families in their homeland and around the world. It also operates Family Homes so children waiting for adoption or who cannot be adopted live in a stable, family-like environment.
Mello said each of the groups were selected because the Sunrise Rotarians in the past have supported them with financial and hands-on assistance.
She said the festival is meant to be a fun event in the community that also supports local businesses. The participating breweries are Chuckalek Independent Brewers, Ironfire Brewing, Karl Strauss, Latitude 33, Lightning Brewery, Lost Abbey/Port Brewing, Manzanita Brewing, The Barrel Room, Stone Brewing Company and URGE American Gastropub. The appetizers will be provided by Brothers Provisions and Super Q will be one of the food trucks.
“We’re so excited to hold this event in RB,” Mello said. “We really want to get the community out to it. It’s about supporting the local businesses and nonprofits and hope to see it grow.”
Those with questions can email Mello at lgillig@gmail.com.
