By Marney Simon | Enterprise Staff
news@enterprisepublications.com
@PlainfieldNews
Plans are coming together for the 2016 Midwest Brewers Fest.
On Sept. 12, a representative of the fall festival addressed a special meeting of the Plainfield Village Board, noting the desire to re-establish the large outdoor craft-beer sampling event in Plainfield on Oct. 8. For $45, visitors will be treated to beers from approximately 50 breweries, food trucks and music at the historic Plainfield Riverfront Park.
Organizers said the event is a charitable cause.
“We keep some seed money over from the year before for promotion for the event, but there’s no money paid out to any of the participants,” the festival’s president, Dan Sergeant, said. “It’s all out to charitable organizations.”
Proceeds from the fest benefit several charities, including the Plainfield Riverfront Foundation. But, Sergeant said the amount ultimately gifted depends on the success of the event.
“It’s a bit of a sliding scale based on if we [make a] profit,” Sergeant said.
This will be the sixth year for the Midwest Brewers Fest, which returns to Plainfield in 2016 after a two-year stint in other areas.
In 2014, the festival ran into some serious issues. Heavy rain and rising waters of the DuPage River turned the event location into a field of mud and muck. A number of vehicles became stuck on the property and had to be towed away, while storms forced the festival to shut down completely for a short time.
A parking issue could possibly arise this time around if the pedestrian bridge connecting Bott Park with the riverfront isn’t available. The bridge was open briefly after it was constructed, but has been closed to foot traffic most of the summer.
“The bridge and the off-site parking is definitely a plus,” Sergeant said.
As far as how the village will measure the success of this year’s festival, Police Chief John Konopek said a follow up report will be delivered shortly after the conclusion of the event.
“We ask that they do provide some type of follow-up, either in person or some paper report, to show how it worked out financially,” Konopek said. “We would expect, as we did with the Plainfield Fest, the [follow up] in a reasonable time after the event.”
The event will hold a maximum of 1,500 people. Expenses to the village for security and traffic control during the event are expected to run around $2,400.
The village board voted to approve the fest after the presentation on Sept. 12.
Some of the brewers expected to participate in this year’s festival include Banging Gavel, Boulevard Brewing Company, Nevin’s Brewing Company, Noon Whistle Brewing, Revolution Brewing, Blue Nose Brewery, Around the Bend Brewing, Bucket List Brewing, One Trick Pony Brewery and Two Brothers Brewing Company.
Tickets for the event can be found online at www.midwestbrewersfest.org/tickets.