April 10, HARRISBURG, PA - The third annual Harrisburg Beer Week will run April 21-29. The event celebrates the local craft beer community while serving as a fundraiser for Harrisburg River Rescue and Emergency Services.
In its first two years, Harrisburg Beer Week facilitated more than 350 events ranging from beer festivals to educational sessions and raised $60,000 for Harrisburg River Rescue and Emergency Services.
This year, the nine-day series has grown to include more than 200 events and weeklong specials and welcomes new participating venues and breweries.
Harrisburg Beer Week 2017 Signature Events
- Friday, April 21 – VIP Kick-Off Party at Harrisburg Transportation Center
- Our sponsor-only “thank you” party featuring music, food and craft beer in the Special Events Room at the Harrisburg Transportation Center.
- Saturday, April 22 – PA Flavor
- Visit the Harrisburg Beer Week table to pick up #HBGBeerWeek merchandise and get some sweet beer samples from the founders’ private collections!
- Sunday, April 23 – Battle of the Homebrewers at Broad Street Market
- 35 brewers; 70+ beers you’ve never had before; Market vendors; Designated Driver tent featuring Boneshire Brew Works non-alcoholic craft soda
- Saturday, April 29 – Little Big Beer Fest at the Abbey Bar at Appalachian Brewing Co.
- LBBF returns with some badass, high-ABV brews (aka Big Beers)! Expect special releases, collaborations and a few classic selection
New for 2017
Harrisburg Beer Week is excited to announce a number of new items, fundraisers and events for 2017.
- 717 Collaboration returns as a lager! Tröegs Independent Brewing, Appalachian Brewing Co. and Pizza Boy Brewing Co. have again joined forces, this time to create a sessionable, crisp
pilsner with lime zest and basil. Cheers! - Exclusive, online-only raffle with BIG prizes! ZerØday Brewing Co., The Garlic Poet Restaurant, and Harrisburg Area Community College’s Brewing Science Program have donated prizes that will be raffled off after Harrisburg Beer Week. All proceeds from the raffle benefit Harrisburg River Rescue & Emergency Services, Harrisburg Beer Week’s exclusive beneficiary.
- New “I HOP” Design! Harrisburg Beer Week updated their popular “I HOP HBG” logo with the help of volunteer designer, Lauren McPherson. Find it on coasters, vinyl stickers, t-shirts, crowler coozies and more.
- Tag-Up Program to raise funds for Harrisburg River Rescue! Beer Week participants can help support our exclusive beneficiary, Harrisburg River Rescue & Emergency Services, at local bars, restaurants and breweries throughout the greater Harrisburg area. For a $5 (cash) donation, supporters can write their name on a tag-up saying they “HOP HBG,” and have it be displayed on-site at the participating venue.
- New locations for signature Harrisburg Beer Week events! Harrisburg Beer Week redesigned their official kick-off event and moved it to the Harrisburg Transportation Center (train station). This private, sponsor-only event features live music, beer and food and serves as the official Beer Week kick-off. The group’s homebrew competition, Battle of the Homebrewers,
also has relocated to the historic Broad Street Market in Midtown Harrisburg. Tickets for Battle are available for $25. - Designated Driver Tent provided at Battle and LBBF! Thanks in part to a partnership with The Traveling Tap and the generosity of Harrisburg’s Boneshire Brew Works, Harrisburg Beer Week is adding an extra benefit for designated driver ticket holders ($10 at each event), and will feature four non-alcoholic craft sodas from Boneshire Brew Works at both Battle of the Homebrewers and Little Big Beer Fest.
- Harrisburg River Rescue Mini Golf Scramble on Friday, April 28! Support Harrisburg River Rescue while enjoying a friendly competition of mini-golf and brews on City Island. Plus, DJ, guaranteed door prize and Meal Ticket for food only at the After Party.
A Word from Our Sponsors
Harrisburg Beer is proud to welcome both new and returning sponsors for 2017.
“We are proud to sponsor Harrisburg Beer Week. In Pennsylvania, our 50 in-store cafes sell more than 800 varieties of beer including a section devoted to locally brewed craft beers. Our customers appreciate the quality and our commitment to local craft brewers,” said Dennis Curtin, Weis Markets’ Director of Public Relations. “That’s why we are so pleased to be part of Harrisburg Beer Week which celebrates the diversity of locally brewed craft beers and others from around the country.”
“Supporting Harrisburg Beer Week is not a decision on whether or not to do it, but how — and to what means we will support it,” said Kurt Wewer, Executive Chef of The Garlic Poet Restaurant and Grain + Verse Bottleshop. “Firstly, Pennsylvania is a beer state! We should be celebrating our rich brewing heritage with the best and brightest of the craft. Second, Harrisburg River Rescue is as worthy of an organization to contribute to as any we can think of: we are a river city!
“We feel it was important to support Harrisburg Beer Week for a few reasons. First, it’s because it supports a great cause in Harrisburg River Rescue. Second, everyone at Boneshire Brew Works loves the sense of community that Harrisburg Beer Week brings and we want to be part of that,” said Alan Miller, owner and head brewer at Boneshire Brew Works.
Exclusive Beneficiary, Harrisburg River Rescue & Emergency Services
Harrisburg River Rescue will take part in the celebration once again as Beer Week’s sole beneficiary and will hold an open house at their headquarters during the festivities.
“Being involved in Beer Week has provided us an ongoing relationship with other individuals who share an innovative passion for bettering our city and strengthening support of those local assets that make our city prosper,” said Tony Reigle, Harrisburg River Rescue Lieutenant. Money raised from last year’s Harrisburg Beer Week donation went towards continued renovations of the HHRES headquarters, which is currently underway, said Reigle. The group is still in need of $130,000 to finish Phase 3, which will renovate the group’s hall and training room. Once Phase 2 is completed, HHRES will be able to begin offering free Water Awareness classes, CPR and other training to the community.
About Harrisburg Beer Week:
Harrisburg Beer Week is an independent group founded and organized by Sara Bozich, Tierney Pomone, Chelsie Markel, Colleen Nguyen and Jimi Werner. Learn more.
About Harrisburg River Rescue:
Harrisburg River Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, volunteer organization that provides community-based, high quality, cost effective water rescue and emergency services for the residents of the south-central Pennsylvania region.