On Saturday, Aug. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m., the Utica Zoo will host the 18th annual Brewfest fundraising event, its largest fundraiser of the year. The event takes place on the beautiful and historic grounds of the Utica Zoo under large tents and a pavilion, rain or shine. Over 100 craft beers and hard ciders will be on tap for you to sample. The first 3,000 attendees will receive a commemorative 2016 Brewfest pint glass. This year’s pint glass features the critically endangered Chinese Alligator. Tickets include pint glass, beer, cider, and wine samples, admission to the zoo, live music by China Pig and Soup Bone Charlie, food samples from Applebee’s, Domino’s, Celtic Harp, and UNO Pizzeria Grill. Participate in a silent auction inside the zoo’s auditorium, where you can bid on and win electronics, gift certificates, lawn & garden equipment, and jewelry. Mohawk Valley Winery will be sampling wine and selling by the bottle, and Ashley Lynn Winery will be selling wine slushies. Complimentary water and soda will be available for all attendees. Brewfest is a 21 and over event, and you must have a ticket and photo ID to enter. All proceeds from Brewfest benefit the animals at the Utica Zoo! Free parking is available at the Utica Zoo on a first come first served basis, with overflow parking at MVCC Payne Hall Lot and the Parkway Rec Center. Free shuttle buses will take you to and from the zoo from 5:30PM to 9:30PM. Attendees may be dropped off and picked up at the zoo. Visit uticazoo.org/brew for the latest information on Utica Zoo Brewfest 2016.
Ticket Prices:
General Admission: $35 in advance and $40 at the door
Utica Zoo Members: $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Member tickets are only available at the Utica Zoo gift shop and UTICAZOO.ORG/BREW. (Members, if you are ordering online, please enter your email as the promotional code FIRST to get the member discount.)
Designated Drivers: $20 in advance and at the door. Designated drivers will not be served alcohol at the event.
Ticket Locations: Utica Zoo Gift Shop, Marcy Discount Beverage, Chanatry’s, Beer Here, Gems along the Mohawk, Woodland Hop Farm & Fermentation and UTICAZOO.ORG/BREW.
Breweries: NY – Woodland Hop Farm & Fermentation, Fulton Chain Craft Brewery, 1911 Hard Cider, Adirondack Brewery, Brooklyn Brewery, Brown’s Brewing Co, Butternuts Beer & Ale, Cortland Beer Company, Empire Farmstead Brewery, Good Nature Farm Brewery, Hazlitt’s Hard Ciders, Ithaca Beer Co, Keegan Ales, Lake Placid Craft Brewing Co, Middle Ages Brewing Co, Brewery Ommegang, Davidson Brothers Brewing Co, Genesee Brewing Co, McKenzie’s Hard Cider, Sackets Harbor Brewing Co, Saranac Brewery, Shmaltz Brewing Co, Sixpoint Brewery, Southern Tier Brewing Co, Upstate Brewing Co. CA – 21st Amendment Brewery, Ballast Point Brewing Co, Bear Republic Brewing Co, Firestone Walker Brewing Co, Lagunitas Brewing Co, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co, Stone Brewing CO –Left Hand Brewing Co, New Belgium Brewing Co, Oscar Blues Brewery DE – Dogfish Head Craft Brewery LA – Abita Brewing Co. MA – Samuel Adams, Wachusett Brewing Co. MD – Flying Dog Brewery ME – Allagash Brewing Co, Sea Dog Brewing Co. MI – Bell’s Brewery, Founders Brewing Co. MN – Crispin Hard Cider Co. MO – Boulevard Brewing Co. NH – Smuttynose Brewing Co. OH – Twisted Tea PA – Troegs Independent Brewing, Victory Brewing Co, Yuengling Brewery RI – Narragansett Brewing Co. UT – Uinta Brewing VT – Harpoon Brewery, Long Trail Brewing Co, Magic Hat Brewing Co, Switchback Brewing Co, Woodchuck Hard Cider WA – Mikes Hard Lemonade Belgium – Stella Artois Czech – Pilsner Urquell Germany – Warsteiner Brewery, Weihenstephan Brewery Italy – Peroni Brewery Wineries: Mohawk Valley Winery and wine slushies by Ashley Lynn Winery.
Zoo Hours: Please note that the Utica Zoo is open from 10AM to 2PM on this day and will reopen at 6PM for the event.
To stay up to date on all things Utica Zoo, visit UticaZoo.org. Daily updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @UticaZoo.