11 May A Great Beer Event Supporting a Great Effort – The 2023 South Bend JA Wine & Beer Fest
by Mark E. Lasbury for Indiana On Tap
I think we can say that Spring has finally sprung, and what better way to celebrate than a beerfest with friends. Oh wait… I do have a better way, celebrate with a beerfest on a gorgeous Friday evening, at a beautiful baseball stadium, and which supports a great cause!
The JA Wine & Beer Fest in South Bend on Friday evening, May 19 is a good example of a festival for a cause. Junior Achievement serving St. Joseph County gets more than 1/3 of its yearly funding from this event, which is used directly to support the mission of JA. Development Director Kristy Bridegroom told me, “Junior Achievement provides classroom-based programs for students in grades K-12 that cover topics such as financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and career readiness. These programs are designed to be delivered by JA trained volunteers in classrooms.” Given the complicated nature of the growing gig economy, the rising costs of college and the uncertainty of the economy, this is a laudable goal and worthy of being supported.
image credit: Walter
The festival was begun in 2019 following the model of the JA Wine & Beer Festival in Fort Wayne, a very successful event. Kristy said that the event has grown each year, and it really broke through in 2021 as a major event. Over 1300 people enjoyed the festival in May 2022. She added, “This is the single largest fundraiser for Junior Achievement serving St. Joseph County. Event proceeds are used to support educational programs within St. Joseph County at no cost for students and schools. The JA BizTown Capstone facility in Elkhart has also made a great impact on St. Joseph County students too. Previously, students would have had to travel to Fort Wayne for this experience. With the Elkhart facility available for the 22-23 school year we anticipate up to a 600% growth of participating students from St. Joseph County in comparison to 21-22 school year.
Saying JA is 100% community-supported is no idle statement; without the support of the attendees, the vendors, and the local business sponsors, the festival would not be possible and neither would the JA programs. I was previously told by former director Dani Elgas, “Our Presenting Sponsor, Lippert, has been with us since the inception of this event. They not only support JA financially, but they provide numerous classroom volunteers to deliver the work that we do all year long.” Kristy added that “Lippert is once again our Presenting Sponsor and they continue to provide both financial and classroom support every year! Additionally, Smith & Associates is again this year’s Platinum Sponsor. Their belief and support of JA’s mission is fundamental for the success in our community as they know first hand the need for students to understand the importance of money management.”
Many local companies and groups work to support the JA Wine & Beer festival, not the least of which were the South Bend Cubs and Four Winds Field where the festival is held each year. Kristy told me, “South Bend Cubs/Four Winds Field has been a great partner since the event’s inception. Onsite they provide support with technology, safety, food & beverage service, housekeeping, administrative and more throughout the event. Leading up to the event they also facilitate ticket giveaways and advertising to help promote a successful event at their gorgeous facility. We are thankful for their continued support.”
JA is so thankful to get support from great local partners, but needs you too and with your ticket purchase you are also contributing to that support. What will you get for the price of admission? How about unlimited samples of beer, wine & spirits from 45 great breweries, wineries, and distilleries, plus specialty drinks like seltzers and plenty of non-alcoholic drinks for the DDs. Be sure to check out your favorites, and keep an eye out for new vendors including Brass Elk Brewing from Elkhart, Four Day Ray Brewing from Fishers, and Hi & Mighty Distillery for their award winning gins from Indy.
More than 45 alcohol vendors will be serving unlimited samples on that Friday evening, including local, regional and national products such as Evil Czech, American Liquor, Metazoa, Maplewood, Great Lakes, New Holland, and many others. And check out stellar wines from around the state, region, and country, including DAOU, Decoy, Sonoma, Stonebridge, Oliver and others.
image credit: Walter
All tickets include unlimited samples. A general admission ticket you can get into Four Winds Field at 6pm with plenty of time to navigate the many vendor tables, along with getting some food and enjoying the DJ. But the real deal is in getting a VIP ticket that will get you in an hour earlier. Besides having much shorter lines to navigate and more time to talk to the great vendors. Kristy told me, “We have an upgraded VIP experience hosted in the Performance Center. VIP guests will receive wristbands that allow them access into the VIP facility. Once inside they can enjoy hors d’oeuvres, premier beverage tastings from special vendors including ‘Whiskeys from around the world’ from Carroll Wine & Spirits, and a private outdoor deck.”
Kristy was adamant about giving a call out to the vendors and volunteers for the event, without whom the festival could not take place. She said, “The event relies on volunteers to do everything from months of prep work, to set-up, ticketing, and pouring throughout the night. The event is not possible without our volunteer committee, day of volunteers, sponsors and vendors (some of whom donate their product)! Thank you to them all”.
So take a few hours on a spring Friday evening to enjoy craft beverages with friends for the perfect way to start a weekend. And all for a great cause – the JA Wine & Beer Fest marks the beginning of the summer beer festival, it’s highly advised that you get your tickets soon at https://www.southbendwineandbeer.com/.
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