The Michigan Brewers Guild is sad to announce that the Summer Beer Festival at Riverside Park in Ypsilanti will be cancelled for the second consecutive year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic but are excited to announce other plans for this summer.
Although pandemic conditions continue to improve there is still a great deal of uncertainty about larger gatherings. The City of Ypsilanti has decided that they are not comfortable hosting large festivals this summer and the Guild understands and appreciates their decision.
“As an alternative to the July event, we are developing plans for two festivals in August (on the 14th and 28th) and we hope to make more specific announcements about those events soon,” says Scott Graham, Guild Executive Director. “We are working through reasonable safety protocols and other details now and will share more information about our plans and ticket availability in the coming weeks. Please recognize that we are hopeful yet cautious about these plans.”
In addition to what may take place in August the Guild will once again celebrate July as “Michigan Beer Month.” A one-of-a-kind commemorative pint glass will be available at many member breweries and these breweries are also being encouraged to feature a special beer throughout the month – like a collaboration or a special release – to help celebrate. Details about these promotions and participating breweries will be posted on MiBeer.com and the Guild’s social media channels (see links below).
Three “Great Beer State Golf Outings” are also scheduled in the coming months, including June 9 at North Kent Golf Club in Rockford, August 11 at Forest Akers Golf Club in East Lansing and October 9 at Treetops Resort in Gaylord. Each of these events is meant as a fundraiser for the Guild, which has seen lost revenue during the pandemic due to cancellation of its festivals.
Formed in 1997, the Michigan Brewers Guild represents nearly 300 member breweries. The Guild is a passionate beer community that believes in quality artisanship, bold character, fun, responsibility and pushing the boundaries. The mission of the Guild is to promote and protect the Michigan beer industry with an overarching goal to help locally brewed beer attain 20% of all beer sales in the state by 2025.
Michigan’s brewing industry contributes more than 21,000 full-time jobs and $914 million in labor income, with a total economic impact of over $2.5 billion. In terms of overall number of breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, Michigan ranks #6 in the nation—supporting its title as “The Great Beer State.”