After drinking several beers at the “Colorado National Bank Brews and Cruise Festival,” it’s safe to say that beer and Palisade were made for each other.

The festival, hosted in downtown Palisade on Saturday, provided a dose of much-needed day-drinking and relaxation on Friday and Saturday. The combination of great beer, food and small-town charm makes Brews and Cruise a prime example of what Grand Valley culture has to offer.

Brews and Cruise offers hundreds of beers from 26 breweries, all at a reasonable price. Twenty-five dollars seems like a steep cover charge for entry into the event, but it pays for itself with a commemorative mug and an unlimited amount of free beer samples. The size of the samples range from a mouthful to a glassful, making Brews and Cruise an excellent day-drinking destination.

The event also features live musical performances, down-home food-truck cooking and a relaxed park atmosphere. These are the ingredients to a perfect summer afternoon.

However, the reason Brews and Cruise is a must-see in the Grand Valley is because of the location. Palisade is one of the few small towns in the country that maintains a quaint and relaxed way of life without being a ghost town. Even with a population of less than 3,000 people, Palisade is rife with culture. Palisade Brewing Company, Peach Street Distillery and various peach orchards and vineyards make the town an enchanting place to visit.

Beer, quality food and small-town magic are the reasons that Brews and Cruise is a massive success. Drink responsibly, indulge in some smoked barbecue, dip your feet in the Colorado River and take a taxi back to Grand Junction—it’s worth the price. Brews and Cruise is an unforgettable experience in the Grand Valley.

★★★★½ / 5

dlmeyer@mavs.coloradomesa.edu