Watkins Glen will celebrate craft beer

WATKINS GLEN--Continuing a fall tradition, the annual Finger Lakes Beer Festival will be held at Watkins Glen International (WGI)Friday and Saturday, Oct. 21 and 22. Some 42 breweries will be featured at the event, along with several cideries, distilleries, restaurants and food vendors.
A Friday night dinner will kick off the weekend starting at 5:30 p.m. at The Glen Club. This event will offer regional Finger Lakes fare paired with local brews that will be showcased during the next day's festival. Tickets are $40 per person, separate from event admission. Tickets include a buffet-style dinner, a presentation by Southern Tier Brewing and complimentary beer tastings.
"We think this is a great way to kick off our Finger Lakes Beer Festival weekend," said Watkins Glen International President Michael Printup. "Our guests will have a great meal, the opportunity to preview some of the brews that we'll feature on Saturday, all while hearing from a speaker who really knows what this region's craft beer industry is all about."
The full festival takes place Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. and will feature all of the participating beer vendors along with live music and food vendors. This will be the fourth year of the event. Tickets are $40 and visitors must be 21 or older to attend. Admission includes a commemorative sampling glass and 25 tasting coupons. Pace car rides (weather dependent) will also be available for an additional charge of $10 per person.
In addition to tastings, the Finger Lakes Beer Festival will also feature a cornhole tournament Saturday, which is free with festival admission. Registration is available by emailing racing@theglen.com.
A full, up-to-date list of participating breweries, distilleries and cideries is available at www.theglen.com. Tickets to the Finger Lakes Beer Festival can be purchased by calling 866-461-7223 or online at www.theglen.com.