54th Brewfest at Ocean Beach Park
54th Brewfest at the Beach returns to the Ocean Beach Park boardwalk Friday, September 18, with three hours of beer and beverage sampling, food and live music from southeastern Connecticut favorite Wicked Peach, all while raising money for the New London Rotary Foundation.
The 21-and-over fundraiser runs from 6 to 9 p.m. overlooking Long Island Sound, with advance admission priced at $30 plus fees. Each ticket includes 15 sampling tickets, beer-friendly food and entertainment.
And the entertainment this year is a band that should need very little introduction around New London.
Wicked Peach Takes the Beach
Wicked Peach has been playing rock, pop-rock and radio favorites around southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island since 1996.
Three decades is an unusually long run for a regional cover band, particularly one that continues to maintain a busy performance calendar.
The current lineup features Ernie Lewis on lead vocals and guitar, Dan Watson on lead guitar and vocals, Corey Carter on guitar, Stan Smith on bass and Jonathan Souza on drums.
Rather than concentrating on a single decade or artist, Wicked Peach builds its shows around recognizable rock and pop-rock songs, the kind of material designed to keep a crowd moving rather than standing around quietly analyzing a beer sample.
That makes the band a particularly natural fit for Brewfest.
This isn’t intended to be a hushed tasting event.
It’s a Friday night party on the Ocean Beach boardwalk.
Fifteen Samples Come With Admission
The Brewfest format gives guests a chance to work their way through different beers and other beverages rather than committing to a full serving of each.
Admission includes 15 sampling tickets.
Organizers describe the selection as encompassing hundreds of beers and other beverages, although the complete 2026 participating brewery list had not yet been published when this event was researched.
That’s worth keeping in mind.
The tasting lineup is still developing, so anyone primarily interested in a particular brewery or beer should check the event page as September 18 approaches rather than assuming a previous year’s participant will return.
There will also be beer-friendly food included with admission.
One of New London’s Longest-Running Fundraisers
The number on this year’s poster is remarkable.
Fifty-four.
Brewfest at the Beach isn’t a recent craft-beer festival created during the brewery boom of the last couple of decades. It is a longstanding New London Rotary fundraising tradition that predates the modern American craft-beer movement.
The New London Rotary Foundation uses proceeds from events like Brewfest to support charitable and community work locally, regionally and beyond.
Among the programs and organizations supported by New London Rotary are the New London Community Meal Center, Little Free Libraries, youth programs and Student of the Year recognition for New London schools.
The club’s broader community work has included Camp Rotary, senior programs, Thanksgiving food assistance, playground projects and grants to area nonprofits.
Internationally, New London Rotary has also supported humanitarian and educational projects involving clean water, sanitation, health care, schools and disaster relief.
So those 15 tasting tickets are doing a little more than determining what you want in your next pint.
Rotary Has Left Its Mark Around New London
The Rotary Club of New London’s relationship with the city extends beyond fundraising.
The organization has participated in projects including the Rotary Centennial Playground at Toby May Park, the Centennial Pavilion at Ocean Beach Park, restoration work involving the city’s trolley station visitor center and the nautical-flag welcome sign in New London.
That makes Ocean Beach a fitting location for one of the organization’s signature fundraisers.
The event raises money for community projects in a place where Rotary has already invested in the community.
Ocean Beach After Summer
There’s also something appealing about getting another night out of Ocean Beach after the traditional beach season has ended.
The park’s summer rhythm changes dramatically after Labor Day.
The crowds thin.
Most families are back into school schedules.
The September sun starts setting noticeably earlier.
But the boardwalk is still there, and Long Island Sound hasn’t gone anywhere.
Brewfest takes advantage of that shoulder season by turning the boardwalk into an outdoor tasting venue.
Rather than fluorescent lights and a convention-hall floor, the backdrop is the beach and Sound.
Organizers specifically describe the event as taking place under the stars on the Ocean Beach boardwalk.
Provided, of course, that the weather cooperates.
Rain Doesn’t Cancel Brewfest
This one is rain or shine.
If rain threatens the outdoor event, Brewfest moves into the Ocean Beach Pavilion at the west end of the boardwalk.
That’s an important distinction from outdoor festivals where questionable weather can mean spending Friday repeatedly checking social media for a cancellation announcement.
The New London Rotary Foundation already has the backup plan.
Boardwalk if the weather behaves.
Pavilion if it doesn’t.
The Ticket Price Includes More Than the Tastings
Advance tickets are listed at $30 before online service fees.
The current ticketing system brings the online advance purchase total to $33.76 including fees.
Day-of-event admission is $35 before fees, with the ticketing site currently showing a $39.07 total when purchased online.
Both include the same basic package: 15 sampling tickets, food and entertainment.
Tickets are limited, including the number available at the door.
For anyone already planning to attend, buying in advance saves a few dollars and eliminates the gamble over whether walk-up tickets remain.
This Is Strictly 21+
Unlike most Ocean Beach events, Brewfest isn’t a family night.
Everyone entering must be at least 21 years old, and organizers require a valid state-issued ID at the gate.
The rule applies to entry itself, not simply to alcohol sampling.
That’s important for anyone thinking a non-drinking spouse, designated driver or younger adult could simply accompany the group without participating in the tastings.
The published event policy says attendees must be 21 to enter.
And with 15 tasting tickets available, planning the ride home before the first sample is a considerably better strategy than working it out after the fifteenth.
Wicked Peach Turns the Tasting Into a Party
The live music is what should push this year’s Brewfest beyond a simple walk from tasting table to tasting table.
Wicked Peach is built for this kind of crowd.
The New London-based band has spent decades playing casinos, beach bars, festivals, clubs and community events throughout the region. Its repertoire favors familiar songs and high-energy rock rather than obscure material that requires an attentive listening room.
The band describes itself simply as New England’s ultimate rock cover band, playing rock, pop-rock and rock hits.
For Brewfest, that’s probably the right formula.
Sample something you’ve never tried.
Find some food.
Head toward the music.
Go back for another sample.
Repeat as necessary.
A Friday Night Fundraiser That Doesn’t Feel Like One
Plenty of charitable fundraisers ask supporters to dress up, sit through dinner and listen to speeches.
Brewfest at the Beach has survived for more than half a century using a different approach.
Put people on the Ocean Beach boardwalk.
Give them a wide selection of things to taste.
Feed them.
Bring in a local rock band.
Then direct the money raised back into community service.
The charitable purpose is serious.
The evening doesn’t have to be.
Details
Event: 54th Brewfest at the Beach
Date: Friday, September 18, 2026
Time: 6–9 p.m.
Venue: Ocean Beach Park
Address: 98 Neptune Avenue, New London, CT 06320
Location in Park: Ocean Beach boardwalk
Presented By: New London Rotary Foundation
Age: 21+ only
ID: Valid state-issued identification required for entry
Advance Admission: $30 plus ticketing fees; currently $33.76 online
Day-of Admission: $35 plus applicable fees; currently $39.07 through the online ticketing system
Included: 15 beverage sampling tickets, beer-friendly food and live entertainment
Live Music: Wicked Peach
Wicked Peach Lineup: Ernie Lewis, lead vocals/guitar; Dan Watson, lead guitar/vocals; Corey Carter, guitar; Stan Smith, bass; Jonathan Souza, drums
Weather: Rain or shine
Rain Location: Ocean Beach Pavilion at the west end of the boardwalk
Tickets: Limited advance and day-of tickets are available
Refunds: Ticket sales are final unless the event is canceled
Beneficiary: New London Rotary Foundation and its charitable programs
Ocean Beach Phone: 860-447-3031
More information is available at the Event Website link below.
To purchase tickets, click the Event Ticketing link below.
Featured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people, location, or activities shown.