Acadiana Center for the Arts Gulf Brew is set Oct. 16

LAFAYETTE — Gulf Brew, Louisiana’s oldest craft beer festival, relocates to downtown Lafayette as an outdoor street festival along Jefferson Street on Oct. 16, according to an Acadiana Center for the Arts news release. It is the Acadiana Center for the Arts’ largest fundraiser.
Organizers have relocated it outdoors to allow for better social distancing in light of current COVID-19 regulations.
Ticket holders have access to samples of more than 200 beers from craft breweries across the county while strolling along four pedestrian-only blocks of Jefferson Street between Juliet Hotel and La Carreta Restaurant. The event is one of the few occasions where all of Louisiana’s craft breweries and brewpubs showcase its newest beers in one place.
The event features beer tap trucks, music stages and crafts booths scattered along the route, with the main stage located in front of the Acadiana Center for the Arts. Tickets are available online at www.eventbrite.com/e/gulf-brew-2021-tickets-161654873077 or at the event. Online general admission, early bird, tickets are $25 plus a $3.10 fee, deadline is Aug. 31 (day of is $35). Brewmeister VIP ticket is $100 plus the $7.59 fee which includes access to the VIP lounge overlooking main stage, VIP football watch party in Moncus Theater for LSU vs Florida (time TBD), complimentary food and beverages and VIP restrooms. Designated Driver Experience tickets are $10 and the $2.19 fee which includes complimentary food and non-alcoholic beverages. Deadline for the VIP and designated driver tickets is Oct. 16.
Gulf Brew is a fundraiser for the Acadiana Center for the Arts, which presents performances and art exhibitions year-round in downtown Lafayette, as well as serving as the arts council for the eight-parish region. AcA brings art education to more than 77 public schools across Acadiana.
“The past year has allowed us to re-think Gulf Brew as an event that could safely take place following all state and local health guidance, while also creating a more enjoyable experience for all,” said AcA Executive Director Samuel Oliver. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have taken every precaution to ensure our audiences are safe, while still allowing for people to come together for music, art, and community. That is our mission.”
AcA is hosting vaccination events during Second Saturday ArtWalk for the two months leading up to Gulf Brew at the AcA on Sept. 11 and Oct. 9 from 4 to 8 p.m.
“Vaccination against COVID-19 is the best way to preserve the things that make our community special: our music, culture, and festivals,” Oliver said. “We hope everyone joins in the effort to preserve the things that make us unique.”
The event will begin with the coronation of “King and Queen of the Brew,” two community leaders who have triumphed in a fundraising competition in support of AcA’s work in bringing art, theater and dance education.
Gulf Brew is driven by volunteers. All volunteers get a wristband to attend Gulf Brew (either before or after their shift), a volunteer T-shirt, and complementary beer at the Rock’n’Bowl after party. To volunteer online visit acadianacenterforthearts.org/event/gulf-brew-2021.
AcA is also seeking partners, sponsors, and vendors to be included in the Brew Book, which lists all 200+ beers and their origins with a map of Featured Venues across downtown. The Brew Book will be distributed to all participants at registration and available at the Featured Venues. To become a partner email gulfbrew@acadianacenterforthearts.org.