New Salem General Store and Wendell Country Store have partnered to present the Hilltown Brewfest 2009 from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, in New Salem. The afternoon tasting – featuring more than 20 mostly regional brands of beer, wine, cider, and mead, along with food, a cigar bar (new for 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, Wendell Country Store, and Déjà Brew Café & Pub, as well as from the participating bands. Tickets at the door are $20, and attendees who volunteer to be designated drivers will receive a $10.00 discount.
This 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 more than $900 for the New Salem and Wendell Meetinghouses.
The Hilltown Brewfest 2009 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”;
- Gangly Heart, a rock band from Wendell and Greenfield, led by local legend Annie Hassett.
Regional brewers and beverage distributors will pour samples (into attendees’ commemorative tasting glasses) of at least 18 beverage brands and often multiple flavors from each brand. (See List of Brews for details.)
Advance tickets ($18) can be purchased at New Salem General Store, Wendell Country Store, and Déjà Brew Café & Pub, as well as from the participating bands. 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; Deja Brew Café & Pub in Wendell; the Hilltown Business Club; Girardi Distributors; and promotional sponsor JW DeWitt Business Communications, a marketing, public relations, and Internet development firm in New Salem. Hamilton Orchards of New Salem will be a vendor. Hilltown Brewfest 2009 also is supported by several benefactors: Diemand Farm in Wendell is donating ice; Ohlson Electric in New Salem is donating electrical services and support; and Klondike Sound is donating sound equipment as well as technical support time.
About the Presenters
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.
Déjà Brew Café & Pub, founded in 2005 by Patti and Vic Scutari, has quickly become a favorite countryside destination for gourmet meals and deserts, local microbrews and wine, and live music by leading local performers. Signature meals – pizzas, paninis, pastas, quesidillas and salads, with key lime pie and death-by chocolate cake – are served on copper-topped tables, at the bar, or by the fireplace on the enclosed back deck. Déjà Brew Café & Pub is located between Wendell Country Store and the Post Office at 57A Locks Village Road. For hours of operation, scheduled performances, and other information, call (978) 544-2739 or visit www.dejabrewpub.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. In partnership with Montague WebWorks, a web development and marketing firm serving more than 100 clients in the Quabbin and Pioneer Valley region, 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 (978) 544-1918, e-mail john@jwdewitt.com or visit www.jwdewitt.com and www.montaguewebworks.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.
Gangly Heart, a rock band from Wendell and Greenfield, is headed by legendary local performer Annie Hassett, who is joined by Wendell musician Court Dorsey and Joe Lada of the Bobby Darling Show. To learn more, visit www.anniehassett.com.
