New Salem General Store will present the Hilltown Brewfest 2010 from Noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010 in New Salem. The afternoon tasting – featuring more than 20 mostly regional brands (and over 100 styles) of beer, wine, and mead, along with food, a cigar bar, a wine tent (NEW this year!), raffles, and live music – will be held at Cooleyville Junction, 837 Daniel Shays Highway (Route 202) in New Salem. Admission is $20.00 at the door. Advance tickets ($18) can be purchased at New Salem General Store or online at www.hilltownbrewfest.com. Attendees who volunteer to be designated drivers will receive a $10.00 discount.
This year, as with last year, a portion of proceeds benefits the New Salem and Wendell Fire Departments, which will have fire trucks on display at the event. Last year's Hilltown Brewfest raised nearly $3,000 for the two fire departments.
The Hilltown Brewfest 2010 will include live musical performances by three area groups:.
- Evenspeak, one of the area’s most popular performers, is rock and blues band from Orange;
- Northfield’s A Ghost Quartet returns with its “jazzy blues with a taste of fist-fight swing”;
- Wailin' Dave Blues Band, a local favorite
Regional brewers and beverage distributors will pour samples (into attendees’ commemorative tasting glasses) of at least 20 beverage brands, with more than 100 styles. (See List of Brews for details.) Horizon Beverages is sponsoring and hosting the wine tent, with a wide variety of wines to sample.
Advance tickets ($18) can be purchased at New Salem General Store. Tickets at the door are $20, and attendees who volunteer to be designated drivers will receive a $10.00 discount.
Additional sponsors of the Hilltown Brewfest include media sponsor WJDF 97.3 FM in Orange; Larry Eaton Builder and Larry & Donna Eaton Changing the World, who are providing the site for this year’s brewfest; the Hilltown Business Club; Girardi Distributors; and promotional sponsor JW DeWitt Business Communications, a marketing, public relations, and Internet development firm in New Salem. Hilltown Brewfest 2010 also is supported by several benefactors: Diemand Farm in Wendell is donating ice; Ohlson Electric in New Salem is donating electrical services and support; Getten's Electric in Greenfield has donated an outside power supply box; and Klondike Sound is donating sound equipment as well as technical support time.
About the Founders
New Salem General Store, founded in 1996 by Rick and Lori Oliver, is a classic, friendly country store featuring home-cooked breakfasts, a full-service deli serving Boarshead products, pizza on Thursday and Friday nights, and a diverse selection of beer, wines and spirits, including many regional beverage brands. Open seven days a week, the store offers a wide variety of grocery and convenience items as well as local produce, gifts and books, along with lotto tickets and an ATM. New Salem General Store is located on Route 202 in New Salem Center, at 410 Daniel Shays Highway; (978) 544-8177; www.newsalemgeneralstore.com.
Wendell Country Store, a local fixture since the early 1960s, offers a broad selection of grocery, convenience, sandwich and deli items, as well as products ranging from local crafts and herbal tinctures to video rentals and CDs. Proprietors Vic and Patti Scutari provide a wide assortment of beer, wine and spirits, along with pure biodiesel fuel in five-gallon containers. This authentic country store also hosts a community bulletin board rich with local information. Wendell Country Store is located a half mile from Wendell Center at 57 Locks Village Road; (978) 544-8646.
About the Host and Sponsors
Larry Eaton Builder, founded in 1981 by New Salem native Larry Eaton, is one of the area’s leaders in energy efficiency – all buildings built by his firm have employed cutting-edge insulation and weatherproofing techniques. In 1999 Larry and his wife Donna joined forces with the world’s only total wellness company Nikken, known locally as Larry & Donna Eaton Changing the World. Since then, they have helped thousands globally address persistent challenges to wellness. They address five areas of wellness: water, air, nutrition, sleep, and exercise. To learn more, contact the Eatons at (978) 544-2077, e-mail leaton12@yahoo.com, or visit www.nikken.com/larry.
WJDF 97.3 FM, founded in 1995 by brothers Jay, Donn and Fred Deane, is the popular and lively hometown radio station for Orange, Athol, and surrounding North Quabbin communities. On-air personalities include morning show hosts Fred and Jay Deane and weekday personality Dave Cass. A proud supporter of the region’s organizations, businesses, sports, and community events, WJDF broadcasts “the best music” from its street-side studio in downtown Orange. For more information, call (978) 544-0957, or visit www.wjdf.com.
The Hilltown Business Club brings together local businesses, entrepreneurs, independent contractors, community leaders, and interested residents in New Salem, Shutesbury, and Wendell. Founded in February 2009 and sponsored by the New Salem General Store and JW DeWitt Business Communications, the Hilltown Business Club works to build community, commerce, and connection among our three hill towns and has created the Hilltown Connect community web site and local business directory at www.hilltownconnect.com.
J.W. DeWitt Business Communications, an independent consulting firm based in New Salem, Mass., specializes in marketing and communications for business-to-business, technology, environmental, retail, and industrial markets. JW DeWitt provides strategic communications programs for large enterprises as well as comprehensive marketing, public relations, Internet, and sales support programs for small to midsize companies. For more information, call (646) 232-6620, e-mail john@jwdewitt.com or visit www.jwdewitt.com.
About the Musical Performers
Evenspeak hails from Orange and plays its own distinctive, eclectically influenced mix of alternative rock and blues. The group includes JB on lead vocals and guitar, Paul LaBrie playing bass guitar and providing backing vocals, Frank LaFord on rhythm guitar, piano, and backing vocals, Tiger on the drums, and Carolyn Salls on vocals and trumpet. To learn more, visit www.evenspeak.com or www.myspace.com/evenspeak.
A Ghost Quartet from Northfield performs music described as “jazzy blues with a taste of fist-fight swing.” To learn more, and sample the group's sound, visit www.myspace.com/ghostquartet.
