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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T180000
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SUMMARY:54th Brewfest at Ocean Beach Park
DESCRIPTION: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. \nThe 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. \nAnd the entertainment this year is a band that should need very little introduction around New London. \nWicked Peach Takes the Beach\nWicked Peach has been playing rock\, pop-rock and radio favorites around southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island since 1996. \nThree decades is an unusually long run for a regional cover band\, particularly one that continues to maintain a busy performance calendar. \nThe 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. \nRather 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. \nThat makes the band a particularly natural fit for Brewfest. \nThis isn’t intended to be a hushed tasting event. \nIt’s a Friday night party on the Ocean Beach boardwalk. \nFifteen Samples Come With Admission\nThe 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. \nAdmission includes 15 sampling tickets. \nOrganizers 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. \nThat’s worth keeping in mind. \nThe 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. \nThere will also be beer-friendly food included with admission. \nOne of New London’s Longest-Running Fundraisers\nThe number on this year’s poster is remarkable. \nFifty-four. \nBrewfest 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. \nThe New London Rotary Foundation uses proceeds from events like Brewfest to support charitable and community work locally\, regionally and beyond. \nAmong 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. \nThe club’s broader community work has included Camp Rotary\, senior programs\, Thanksgiving food assistance\, playground projects and grants to area nonprofits. \nInternationally\, New London Rotary has also supported humanitarian and educational projects involving clean water\, sanitation\, health care\, schools and disaster relief. \nSo those 15 tasting tickets are doing a little more than determining what you want in your next pint. \nRotary Has Left Its Mark Around New London\nThe Rotary Club of New London’s relationship with the city extends beyond fundraising. \nThe 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. \nThat makes Ocean Beach a fitting location for one of the organization’s signature fundraisers. \nThe event raises money for community projects in a place where Rotary has already invested in the community. \nOcean Beach After Summer\nThere’s also something appealing about getting another night out of Ocean Beach after the traditional beach season has ended. \nThe park’s summer rhythm changes dramatically after Labor Day. \nThe crowds thin. \nMost families are back into school schedules. \nThe September sun starts setting noticeably earlier. \nBut the boardwalk is still there\, and Long Island Sound hasn’t gone anywhere. \nBrewfest takes advantage of that shoulder season by turning the boardwalk into an outdoor tasting venue. \nRather than fluorescent lights and a convention-hall floor\, the backdrop is the beach and Sound. \nOrganizers specifically describe the event as taking place under the stars on the Ocean Beach boardwalk. \nProvided\, of course\, that the weather cooperates. \nRain Doesn’t Cancel Brewfest\nThis one is rain or shine. \nIf rain threatens the outdoor event\, Brewfest moves into the Ocean Beach Pavilion at the west end of the boardwalk. \nThat’s an important distinction from outdoor festivals where questionable weather can mean spending Friday repeatedly checking social media for a cancellation announcement. \nThe New London Rotary Foundation already has the backup plan. \nBoardwalk if the weather behaves. \nPavilion if it doesn’t. \nThe Ticket Price Includes More Than the Tastings\nAdvance tickets are listed at $30 before online service fees. \nThe current ticketing system brings the online advance purchase total to $33.76 including fees. \nDay-of-event admission is $35 before fees\, with the ticketing site currently showing a $39.07 total when purchased online. \nBoth include the same basic package: 15 sampling tickets\, food and entertainment. \nTickets are limited\, including the number available at the door. \nFor anyone already planning to attend\, buying in advance saves a few dollars and eliminates the gamble over whether walk-up tickets remain. \nThis Is Strictly 21+\nUnlike most Ocean Beach events\, Brewfest isn’t a family night. \nEveryone entering must be at least 21 years old\, and organizers require a valid state-issued ID at the gate. \nThe rule applies to entry itself\, not simply to alcohol sampling. \nThat’s important for anyone thinking a non-drinking spouse\, designated driver or younger adult could simply accompany the group without participating in the tastings. \nThe published event policy says attendees must be 21 to enter. \nAnd 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. \nWicked Peach Turns the Tasting Into a Party\nThe live music is what should push this year’s Brewfest beyond a simple walk from tasting table to tasting table. \nWicked Peach is built for this kind of crowd. \nThe 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. \nThe band describes itself simply as New England’s ultimate rock cover band\, playing rock\, pop-rock and rock hits. \nFor Brewfest\, that’s probably the right formula. \nSample something you’ve never tried. \nFind some food. \nHead toward the music. \nGo back for another sample. \nRepeat as necessary. \nA Friday Night Fundraiser That Doesn’t Feel Like One\nPlenty of charitable fundraisers ask supporters to dress up\, sit through dinner and listen to speeches. \nBrewfest at the Beach has survived for more than half a century using a different approach. \nPut people on the Ocean Beach boardwalk. \nGive them a wide selection of things to taste. \nFeed them. \nBring in a local rock band. \nThen direct the money raised back into community service. \nThe charitable purpose is serious. \nThe evening doesn’t have to be. \nDetails\nEvent: 54th Brewfest at the Beach\nDate: Friday\, September 18\, 2026\nTime: 6–9 p.m.\nVenue: Ocean Beach Park\nAddress: 98 Neptune Avenue\, New London\, CT 06320\nLocation in Park: Ocean Beach boardwalk\nPresented By: New London Rotary Foundation\nAge: 21+ only\nID: Valid state-issued identification required for entry\nAdvance Admission: $30 plus ticketing fees; currently $33.76 online\nDay-of Admission: $35 plus applicable fees; currently $39.07 through the online ticketing system\nIncluded: 15 beverage sampling tickets\, beer-friendly food and live entertainment\nLive Music: Wicked Peach\nWicked Peach Lineup: Ernie Lewis\, lead vocals/guitar; Dan Watson\, lead guitar/vocals; Corey Carter\, guitar; Stan Smith\, bass; Jonathan Souza\, drums\nWeather: Rain or shine\nRain Location: Ocean Beach Pavilion at the west end of the boardwalk\nTickets: Limited advance and day-of tickets are available\nRefunds: Ticket sales are final unless the event is canceled\nBeneficiary: New London Rotary Foundation and its charitable programs\nOcean Beach Phone: 860-447-3031 \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/54th-brewfest-at-the-beach/
LOCATION:Ocean Beach Park\, 98 Neptune Avenue\, New London\, CT\, 06320\, United States
CATEGORIES:Ocean Beach Park
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