What’s on tap for the Mancos Valley Summer Brewfest

Benefit brings live bands, kids activities, local food and drink

With locally crafted food and libations, danceable bands, and kids’ activities, the fourth annual Mancos Valley Summer Brewfest promises family fun and chill time Aug. 18 at Cottonwood Park in Mancos.

Mancos Brewing Co. presents the riverside festival in cooperation with Mancos Valley Resources, a nonprofit charitable organization, to celebrate community and benefit local causes.

A day to dance barefoot

Live bands will be on stage at Cottonwood Park in Mancos from the time Brewfest opens at 1 p.m. until it closes at 7 p.m.

Featured are:

Fiery Furnace Marching Band, 1 p.m. On a mission from Moab to make people move and enjoy life, melding a variety of genres in brass- and percussion-driven takes on hip-hop, pop, jazz, and Motown.Stillhouse Junkies, 2:15 p.m. A Durango trio trading off on fiddle, guitar, bass, banjo, and mandolin as they sing and play original, roots-inspired songs.Carute Roma, 3:50 p.m. A high-energy Four Corners band whose name means “Gypsy Wagon,” bringing big sound and vocal harmony to Roma melodies and original tunes.The Afrobeatniks, 5:30 p.m. Rhythm-powered funk and rock, Afrobeat and Latin jazz by a revolving cast of hometown favorites on percussion, bass, horns, and guitar.Right after the festival ends, an after-party at the nearby Mancos Brewing Co. will feature the Charlie Milo Trio, with a mix of rock, funk, jazz, blues, and roots rhythms.

Cottonwood Park is in Mancos on the south side of U.S. 160, situated south of Riverside Avenue and west of Spruce Street. Mancos Brewing Co. is in Mancos at 484 East Frontage Road, on the north side of U.S. 160.

Crafted for all ages

Craft beer for the festival this year will come exclusively from Montezuma County producers:

Mancos Brewing Co., the Dolores River Brewery, and the Main Street Brewery and WildEdge Brewery Collective of Cortez.Guy Drew Vineyards will be on hand with wine, and Outlier Cellars of Mancos will serve Fenceline Cider. Food vendors will include Green Table Farm, with locally-sourced and healthful fare, and Yia Yia’s, with gyros and other Greek treats.Kids will find activities just for them under the tent of Painted Turtle Studio of Mancos, and dogs are welcome on leash.

Tickets now at nearby outlets

Admission tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the gate for adults. Students 13–18 get in for $5, and children 12 and younger get in for free.

Advance tickets are on sale now in Mancos at Mancos Brewing Co., Zuma Natural Foods, and Mancos Liquor; in Cortez at Kokopelli Bike and Board and The Pie Maker; in Dolores at the Dolores Food Market; and in Durango at Jamie’s Fine Jewelry Shop.

At the event, festivalgoers can purchase tickets to exchange for beer or wine. Six tickets cost $10. One ticket is good for a 5-ounce taster. Three tickets get a beer or a glass of wine.

Mancos Valley groups to benefit

Proceeds from the 2018 Summer Brewfest will benefit Mancos Valley Resources and two of its nonprofit projects located in Mancos: Painted Turtle Studio and Mount Lookout Grange.

Painted Turtle Studio provides spaces and instruction for people of all ages and skill levels to explore their creativity. The studio hosts classes, a ceramic studio and clay co-op, and an arts boutique.

Mount Lookout Grange fosters social connections and economic well-being for agricultural producers and the community, with workshops on rural arts, a monthly potluck, and a gathering space for rent.

Both projects receive fiscal sponsorship from Mancos Valley Resources, a community-based, nonprofit, 501(c)3 charitable organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the cultural, historical, recreational, educational, and charitable assets of the Mancos Valley.

Brewfest benefits local causes through leadership from Mancos Valley Brewery and co-sponsorship by local businesses and private individuals whose names appear, along with complete festival details, at mancosbrewingcompany.com/mancos-valley-summer-brewfest.

Free admission for volunteers

Volunteer festival staff receive free admission to the festival. Positions are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested individuals may contact Kathy Hands, co-owner of the Mancos Brewing Co. by phone at 970-533-9761, or by email to info@mancosbrewingcompany.com.