Hops, malt and bubbles were the star of the 38th annual Beer Fest. Organized by Student Life as a fundraiser for clubs on campus, about 20 vendors displayed a variety of products on a sunny Saturday afternoon on the plaza lawn.
All the ticket proceeds went directly to a club designated by attendees during purchase. Fraternity members managed the ticket table and were well positioned to advertise theirorganization to people who were unsure which club to select for their donation.
This event coincided with Parents’ Weekend, facilitating light-heartedw conversation between parents eager to gush over their students.
“We absolutely love it. Interacting with other parents like us that come from out of state or even in state and we can mingle,” said Patty Campbell, mother to Gus Campbell, a senior right guard on the football team.
A plastic color-changing cup was given at the door for the over 21 participants to sample the variety of beverages available. The cups had 10 spots to fill with stickers that were hidden at random vendor stalls, which if completed was eligible for students to enter in a giveaway.
Hosted by Fisher’s Liquor Barn, a majority of the vendors were liquor distributors and sales reps. The only local vendor was Carlson Vineyards, which is located in Palisade. Food was available for sale from The Little Pink Truck.
“We’ve always been a big proponent of CMU and Fisher’s Liquor Barn and when it comes down to it, it’s just fun to kind of get out there and share some great beer with the kids,” said Kyle Wagner. He’s a field sales rep for Odell Brewing.
In addition to beer, there were ciders, hard seltzers, non-alcoholic beers and wine. Original Sin Cider from Buffalo, New York had fall themed ciders filled with berries. Tart and sweet, they made for a perfect hot day sipper. There were IPAs, double-IPAs, New England IPAs, west-coast IPAs and imperial IPAs – a Colorado native’s wet dream.
Vendors seemed pumped to be there and show off products both classic and new. However, unfortunate guests were sampling a muddled mixture at the end of their tours, as none of the vendors were given the supplies to wash out cups.
“You get a taste of Colorado and Grand Junction all in one place,” said Simon Cespedes, junior in kinesiology. He was a volunteer at the event.
Besides drinking, a few activities were available to guests to have a little fun while they waited for their heartburn to subside.
Student Life had a mechanical bull available for the more thrill-seeking attendees. The students operating the bull said that the record was 90 seconds.
Other activities such as cornhole were also available. Live music entertained with covers of popular songs by well-known bands and artists like Paramore and Taylor Swift.
The event buzzed with life as the lawn slowly filled with people. Parents were able to take a break from the chaos of the weekend while bonding with other parents over the shared love for their kids, whereas students got to let loose and have some fun before the dread of midterms begins fully set in. Cheers to Student Life for organizing and hosting this charity event.
