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Local Breweries Collaborate to Brew a B.I.G. Event

Slated for June 9, 2012, the 2^nd Annual Bloomington Craft Beer Festival will unite craft beer drinkers at historic Woolery Stone Mill. Festival attendees will have an opportunity to sample more than 100 beers poured by over 25 Hoosier brewers plus a handful of craft brewers from neighboring states. Whether you're a beer enthusiast or enthused novice, Bloomington Craft Beer Fest (BCBF) combines hops, malts, arts and science to contribute to the big flavor of the festival.

Brewers of Indiana Guild (B.I.G.) anticipates the festival drawing approximately 1500 guests who share an appreciation of craft beer. Local food vendors and entertainment will add to the festive feel of the day. The Guild and local breweries have worked closely with Woolery Stone MIll owner, Randy Cassidy, in hopes of moving the 100% outdoor, open-air event of 2011 underneath the high ceiling facility beneath which quarry employees worked decades ago.

Bloomington's casual celebration of arts paired with an innate appreciation of individuality and a respect for science creates a perfect home for hosting a festival celebrating the arts and science of unique craft beer. 

I speak on behalf of your hometown brewers when I say we hope to see you at the 2^nd Annual Bloomington Craft Beer Festival!  Tickets, information and more at www.brewersofindianaguild.com.

Bottoms Up!

From guest blogger, Sara Sheikh of the Bloomington Brewing Company and the Bloomington Craft Beer Festival Committee.

WFHB's 2012 Acoustic Roots Festival conveniently falls on National Tourism Week - and we are (also conveniently) a sponsor of the event... so, we've put those two things together and will be giving away tickets to the show throughout the week of May 7-11, leading up to the Acoustic Roots Festival on May 12. One lucky person will win our grand prize, which includes an overnight stay at the Grant Street Inn and $50 in gift certificates to Grazie! Italian Eatery!

Tourism is a driving force for economic development in Bloomington and throughout much of the country and even the world! Our local tourism industry encompasses not only hotels and traditional attractions such as museums and wineries, but also the many unique restaurants in town, our vibrant downtown area, Indiana University, Lake Monroe, local shops, art galleries and more! To everyone involved in Bloomington's tourism industry - we salute you and thank you for helping to make Bloomington a fabulous place to visit! 

So, some of you are saying "Free tickets are awesome, but what the heck is the Acoustic Roots Festival?" This annual live music event is held outdoors at Upland Brewing Company and features some of the area's very best musicians in the Americana, Roots and Folk genres. This family-friendly, laid-back musical celebration is a great way to experience live music in Bloomington and sample some great food and drink from one of our local brew pubs. Here, let me show you what I mean...

The WFHB Acoustic Roots Festival, 2011

My family attended the Acoustic Roots Festival last year and had a great time.
We played with some hay...

 We made some new friends...

We listened to some great music from
Davy Jay Sparrow and His Well-Known Famous Drovers, and others...

We watched the sun go down and snuggled in to enjoy the evening.

The Ticket Giveaway

Looks like fun, right? So, what do you have to do to get those free tickets? Simple - just leave us a comment on this blog post and tell us about your experience with tourism in Bloomington.

If you're a visitor, what's your favorite reason to visit?

If you're a local resident, what do you always recommend to people when they visit?

Good luck! Hope to see you at this year's Acoustic Roots Festival!