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Visitors to the 2017 inaugural Basin Brew Fest walk under the U.S. 90 bridge in downtown Morgan City. The second Basin Brew Fest & Restaurant Crawl will be held Saturday, March 17. The event, hosted by Morgan City Main Street, will showcase Louisiana craft beers and food from local restaurants while raising money to renovate Lawrence Park. (The Daily Review/Diane Miller Fears)

Basin Brew Fest returns March 17

2nd annual downtown event showcases La. beers

Downtown Morgan City will be filled with Louisiana craft beer vendors and beer enthusiasts the third Saturday in March.

Morgan City Main Street will host its Second Annual Basin Brew Fest & Restaurant Crawl on March 17 in downtown Morgan City.

The event will “proudly showcase what Louisiana has to offer in the craft beer world and give our local restaurants a chance to show some of their most loved dishes,” Main Street Director Beth Portero said in an email.

Also, the fest will raise funds for the complete renovation of Lawrence Park, the historic park in downtown Morgan City, Portero said.

Last year, Basin Brew Fest’s planning committee was able to donate $10,500 to help renovate Lawrence Park. Organizers are hoping this year’s event “to be bigger and better, set on the new picturesque river front dock,” Portero said.

Basin Brew Fest will showcase Louisiana breweries offering a few hand selected styles of beer as well as a homebrew competition.

The beer sampling section of Basin Brew Fest requires a ticket to enter and requires you to be 21 or older.

VIP early entry to the sampling area will start at noon. General entry begins at 1 p.m. The sampling area will close at 4:30 p.m. DJ Kolin will play music during this time.

VIP tickets are $55, and include 30 beer samples, an event T-shirt, two tasting plate tickets, a custom bottle opener and an entry wrist band. VIP ticket sales end Feb. 28.

All tickets can be purchased online at www.basinbrewfestmc.com.

General admission tickets are $35 presale and will be $40 at the gate. They include 30 beer samples and an entry wrist band. Half-tickets are $20 presale and will be $25 at the gate. They include 15 beer samples and an entry wrist band.

Designated Driver tickets are $3 and come with a soft drink voucher.

The Krewe of Dionysus’ Irish/Italian Heritage Walking Parade will be held in conjunction with the fest. The parade will start at 1 p.m. at Second and Belanger streets and finish at Freret and Front streets under the U.S. 90 bridge, said Parade Chairman Walter Shepherd.

The food and music area at Basin Brew Fest will be open to the public. Entry to that area is free. No ice chests are allowed. Participating restaurants will be serving $5 tasting plates. They will have beer on tap and soft drinks and water for sale. Driftwood will play music from 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Organizers expect about 20 Louisiana breweries to be represented. The fest, and events like it, “are great ways for people to try Louisiana beer,” said Karlos Knott, president of the Louisiana Craft Brewers Guild.

Knott is also founder of Bayou Teche Brewing Co. in Arnaudville.

“The best advertising is actually handing someone a beer,” Knott said. “The best way to get your beer out there is to have someone taste it.”

Beer company representatives can get an immediate reaction from customers and feedback on possible tweaks to beer recipes, Knott said.

Brew festivals are excellent venues to get “craft beers in the hands of some of the folks that may not normally go out and buy craft beers,” said Matt Naquin, marketing representative for Parish Brewing Co. in Broussard.

The Basin Brew Fest gives people the opportunity to sample different Louisiana beers all in one spot, Naquin said.

Naquin also attended the inaugural Basin Brew Fest in 2017 and plans to attend this year.

“I think it’s a cool festival. The turnout was really good. I think it exceeded most people’s expectations, and turned out to be a lot of fun,” Naquin said.

Other breweries that will have representatives at the fest include Southern Craft Brewing Company, Abita Brewing Company, Crying Eagle Brewing Company, Covington Brewery, Great Raft Brewing Company, Mudbug Brewing Company, Tin Roof Brewing Company, Ouachita Brewing Company, Cajun Brewing Company, Nola Brewing Company, Chafunkta Brewing Company, Red River Brewing Company, Gnarley Barley Brewing Company, Second Line Brewing Company, Wayward Owl Brewing Company, Urban South Brewing Company, Parleaux Beer Lab and Dixie Brewing Company.

Restaurants participating in the event include The Smokehouse, East Gate BBQ, Café JoJo’s, Latin Corner, The Galley and Atchafalaya at Idlewild.

ST. MARY NOW

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