Beer Festival Overflows with Success

Fiesta Gardens once again brought its “party” to life, as it flooded itself with an estimated 4,000 people eager to taste the delicacies of more than 80 “world-class” brews for the first annual Austin Specialty Beer Festival.

Kreg Lill, one of the main coordinators for the Boys & Girls Club Specialty Beer Festival, declares the event a success. Lill says that they expected around 3,000 people to attend the event, but the actual turnout was of more than 4,000. 

Just a few weeks ago radio stations across Austin announced the first annual Austin Specialty Beer Festival. The stations promoted this event by giving free tickets to lucky listeners. On Feb 23 these fortunate individuals got the opportunity to taste from more than 80 types of beers from local, state, and international brewers.

Regional Protective Officer Drew Mendez, says “It was a good day, we made sure everyone was okay and nobody was fighting… the only problem we had was a man urinating in public, and he was quickly escorted out of the premises”.

All of the officers, volunteers, and coordinators interviewed agreed that the festival turned out much better than expected; they cannot wait to see how next year’s festival plays out.

“It went really well… it is definitely been something where the Boys and Girls Club always counts on personal donations of people like you and me to help them, but in this occasion we were looking for an event that brought in sustainable funds to help do more programs with the kids”, says Lill.

From 12 to 10 pm Boys & Girls Club volunteers take shifts serving specialty beer to festival attendees. 

The creamy color of this beer is just one of many unique tones found at the beer festival.

According to coordinator Kreg Lill, more than 4,000 individuals flooded Fiesta Gardens to attend the first ever annual Austin Beer Fest, this trio is just one of many who toasted in the name of rare brews.

Friends make a toast as they each try one of more than 80 different types of local, state, and international brews.

The Breckenridge Brewery of Colorado was just one of many American breweries to have their drinks distributed at the Austin Beer Fest. 

This beer fanatic is excited to take his first sip of a “world class” beer during the first annual Austin Specialty Beer Festival.