The Ninth Annual Mountaineer Brewfest, a celebration of West Virginia’s finest Craft Beers, will be held Saturday, August 19, 2023, at the Wheeling Heritage Port in Wheeling, WV. Tickets for the 2023 Mountaineer Brewfest go on sale June 1st. The Mountaineer Brewfest has raised over $166,000 to date in donations to local Wheeling charities through festival proceeds and matching tips generated by the Circus Saints & Sinners.
For the Ninth Consecutive year, the Mountaineer Brewfest will be brought to you by Title Sponsor Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack. Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack has been a positive force in Wheeling, West Virginia, for more than a century. From its early racing days that predate the Civil War to its current state as one of the largest tourist attractions in West Virginia, Wheeling Island is rich in American history.
Kim Florence, President & General Manager, Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack – “The Mountaineer Brewfest continues to be a premier event in Wheeling, showcasing our WV craft brewers while raising much-needed funds for our local non-profit organizations. Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack has been proud to serve as title sponsor for this event since day 1 and look forward to another successful Brewfest in August.”
Proceeds from the August 19, 2023, Mountaineer Brewfest will benefit Family Service-Upper Ohio Valley. Family Service-Upper Ohio Valley is a 501 (3) c nonprofit organization that assists senior citizens to independently live in their homes as long as safely possible. They provide non-medical in-home health care, transportation, wellness/social programs, and Meals on Wheels. FSOUV is the designated senior center in Ohio County, WV, and provides Meals on Wheels for Ohio and Marshall Counties. The agency provides approximately 100,000 meals annually and approximately 10,000 transportation trips annually. The non-medical in-home health service reduces isolation, assists with meal prep, light housekeeping, and grocery shopping. Family Service also provides peace of mind that someone is there in case the client falls while they are showering. The services provide a total care approach to independent living in the place the client calls home. For those who are living with Dementia and/or Alzheimer’s, Family Service provides in-home respite care for the client and caregiver. Services allow the caregiver time to run errands, take a break, or do other tasks of daily living without worrying about their loved ones being alone. Serving with dignity and respect is the goal of Family Service-Upper Ohio Valley.
Family Services – Upper Ohio Valley CEO Paula Calvert – “”Family Service-Upper Ohio Valley is truly thankful for this amazing opportunity to partner with Mountaineer Brewfest. This event has raised much-needed funding for several local nonprofits over the past several years. We are so honored to be chosen as this year’s benefactor. The funds raised will go towards the Senior Meals on Wheels Program which serves Ohio and Marshall Counties. Providing a meal and a smile to senior citizens is rewarding. The global pandemic has made the need even greater than ever. Rising food costs, the cost of living, and limited transportation has impacted the senior population. Funding the Meals on Wheels Program is critical. Thank you to Mountaineer Brewfest for this opportunity. We are looking forward to the event!”
Mountaineer Brewfest founder and president Jeff Hayes – “The Mountaineer Brewfest committee is planning for another great Brewfest on August 19th at the Heritage Port. 2022 was an incredible year in that we were able to give our largest charity donation to date of $40,000, and we were named West Virginia Beer Festival of year 2022. We conducted our charity selection process and the committee selected Family Services–Upper Ohio Valley as the recipient of this year’s proceeds. We look forward to working with Paula Calvert and the Family Service’s team to help them fund their Meals on Wheels program.” said Hayes. “We have been very blessed with our partnership with Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack over the past nine years. I want to thank Regional President & General Manager Kim Florence, Catering & Event Sales Manager Julie Baker, Marketing Manager Amy Kirkland, and their teams for all they do in helping us put on one of the best Craft Beer in the tristate area and West Virginia!”
In addition to 2023 Title Sponsor Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack, the Brewfest would also like to thank and acknowledge the following incredible Sponsors for their commitments to this year’s festival:
- Partner Sponsors: Main Street Bank, The UPS Store, The Glessner Group, Highlands Sports Complex, Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration, The Ziegenfelder Company & Budget Saver, Smoker Friendly, Raymond James Financial Services, Gumby’s LLC, RE/MAX Broadwater, The Market Vines, Generations Restaurant & Pub, Shirts N More, WTOV9, Steptoe & Johnson, Omni Strategic Technologies, MPLX, The 19th Hole, Belmont Savings Bank, Joe’s Preowned Autos, McKenzie Riedel Wealth Management, .
- Distributor Sponsors: McCann Distributing, Mountain State Beverage, Carenbauer Distributing, and Wine & Beverage Merchants of WV.
- Brewer Sponsors: Cardinal Operating Company, Visit Wheeling WV, Carpets by Jamison, Edward Jones, McKinley Architecture & Engineering, The Bridge Tavern, IBEW Local Union 141 Wheeling, Liberty Distributors, Char House on the Boulevard, Lou Nau Plumbing & Heating, Truist, Belmont Carson Petroleum, Plumbers & Steamfitters Local #83, and McKinley Carter Wealth Services.
- Friends Sponsors: Bernie Glenn Insurance, Kalkrueth Roofing & Sheet Metal, Waller Pools and Spas, Belmont Aggregates, Team Sledd, American Sanitary, Circus Saints & Sinners, The Wheeling Alers, Fitzsimmons Law Firm, and Contractor’s Supply.
- Media Sponsors: WKKX The Watchdog, 106.3 The River, LHTC Media, iHeart Media, and Lamar Advertising
“We are so thankful for the continued support of these amazing sponsors! Without their assistance we would not be able to provide the funds to help local charities and bring what we believe is one of the best events in Wheeling and the state to the Wheeling Heritage Port.” stated Hayes.
“There are over 100 local volunteers from the community, organizations, and our charities each year that help the Mountaineer Brewfest run smoothly, and we can’t thank them enough for all they do,” said Hayes. “Two organizations that have been instrumental to the success of the Mountaineer Brewfest each year are the Circus Saints & Sinners, and the Wheeling Alers Home Brew Club. The Wheeling Alers bring their expertise to the festival by managing our WV Craft Beer competition and manning the taps at many of our Brewer tents. The volunteers of the Saints & Sinners organization man the taps in our Beer Garden and do an amazing job of raising additional funds for our charities through tips collected that are matched with sponsor donations, we thank Bordas & Bordas who is a major tips match sponsor of the Brewfest.” Hayes continued. “This year we also welcome Wheeling’s very own women’s amateur ice hockey team the Wheeling Lightningbirds who will also assist in manning the taps at our Brewer tents”.
WV Brewer samples available at this year’s festival include: Mountain State Brewing (Thomas), Big Timber Brewing (Elkins), Free Folk Brewery (Fayetteville), Abolitionist Ale Works (Charles Town), Screech Owl Brewing (Bruceton Mills), Clendenin Brewing, The Peddler Brewing (Huntington), High Ground Brewing (Terra Alta), Chestnut Brew Works (Morgantown), Fife Street Brewing (Charleston), Berkeley Springs Brewing, Swilled Dog Hard Cider (Upper Tract), Weathered Ground Brewing (Cool Ridge), Stumptown Ales (Davis), Parkersburg Brewing, and Short Story Brewing (Rivesville). The Brewfest also features a Beer Garden with over 50 additional pours!
Entertainment this year will feature: Main stage- “Spinning Jenny”, “Sydney Mack” from Nashville, and headliner “Liquid A” from Philadelphia. “The Hooch” will perform during the VIP hour.
Mountaineer Brewfest tickets can be purchased starting June 1st via www.mountaineerbrewfest.com, www.facebook.com/MountaineerBrewfest, www.eventbrite.com, or at Yourkovich & Associates in Wheeling.
The Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack Mountaineer Brewfest VIP Craft Beer and Food Pairing will be held for Early Bird VIP Ticket special add on purchase and sponsors on Thursday August 17, 2023, from 6pm to 8pm at Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack. This pairing will feature craft beers from Weathered Ground Brewery with special food preparations complimenting the craft beer selections by Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack Executive Chef John Greenwald.
All these details and more will be shared on Mountaineer Brewfest Facebook and Instagram sites. Be sure to follow us for the latest festival content as we gear up for another exciting summer!
About the Mountaineer Brewfest:
The Mountaineer Brewfest festival showcases West Virginia’s finest Craft and Micro Brewers via an organized tasting and is held annually at the Heritage Port in Wheeling, WV. Our mission is:
- To promote West Virginia’s unique and growing industry of craft and microbreweries
- To provide the public an opportunity to learn about West Virginia and regional craft and microbrewers and their products.
- To provide the best in Entertainment and Food all within a relaxed atmosphere.
- To encourage community within the city of Wheeling by:
- Working with local officials and businesses to provide a sustainable event
- By donating festival proceeds to local charities
The August 19, 2023, festival hours are VIP entry 3:00pm, General Admission entry at 4:00pm, the festival ends at 10:00pm. You must be 21 years of age with a valid photo ID to enter. This is a rain or shine event. Special early ticket pricing available June 1st through July 31st, General Admission tickets are $30, VIP tickets are $70, and VIP + Thursday Pairing $80. Ticket prices increase after July 31st, General Admission will be $40, and VIP will be $80. Designated Driver tickets are also available.
Please visit www.mountaineerbrewfest.com or www.facebook.com/MountaineerBrewfest to purchase tickets and for more information.
