Havre Trails holds Second Annual Brewfest

Editor’s note: This version includes the location of the brewfest.

Cold beers, food and live music will be coming to Havre this Saturday for the community’s enjoyment, said Havre Trails organizer Lindsey Brandt-Bennett.

“It will be a lot of fun and it’s a really important fundraiser,” she said.

The Second Annual Havre Trails Brewfest is set for Saturday from 3 to 8 p.m. at Pepin Park with all proceeds going toward local trail projects, Brandt-Bennett said, adding that the fundraiser last year raised enough money to complete the new 1-mile Rotary Loop Trail at Beaver Creek Park. She said the organization hopes to expand this trail and build others in the future.

Havre Trails is an organization for everyone interested in promoting and improving the walking, running and biking paths in the Havre and Hill County area, its Facebook page says.

The organization not only adds to the recreation infrastructure but wants to show people what is there and what opportunities are available, Brandt-Bennett said. The organization also wants to generate energy and interest and get other projects going. She added that Havre Trails also hosts hikes all throughout the summer months.

She said Havre Trails and the fundraiser are important to the community and this event will help the organization create more recreational activities for Hill County.

“I think that Havre has a lot of recreational opportunities and also a lot of potential,” Brandt-Bennett said. “So what our organization is trying to do is to capitalize on that and celebrate that and also add to it.”

She added that projects like the Rotary Loop Trail are something that they would like to do again in the future.

The brewfest will have 10 breweries present akong with other brews on tap. The event will also have four food trucks, live music and one winery.

The event is a year-long planning process, Brandt-Bennett said, with the organization using different methods of contacting companies and musical groups, such as volunteers passing out fliers for the event at the Winter Brewfest earlier this year. She added that Havre Trails has also worked closely with Havre Distributors and Gusto Distributing, which represents many of the Montana microbreweries from across the state.

She said the companies have helped facilitate the process as well as recruiting for and aiding with accommodations for the breweries that are participating in the event.

Brandt-Bennett also thanked all the community supporters and sponsors for the event, Triangle Communications, Havre Tourism Business Improvement District, Triple Dog Brewing Co., Old Station Brewing Co., New Media Broadcasting, Independence Bank, Bergren Transmission, Bear Paw Credit Union, Havre Distributors, Gusto Distributing, Custom Collision Repair, Culligan of Havre, Havre Ford, Finest Boot Repair, Steve and Julie Mariani, and the 30 volunteers Havre Trails has for the event.

Local breweries and others from Montana and neighboring states will be at the brewfest, Brandt-Bennett said, including Triple Dog Brewing Co. and Old Station Brewing Co. of Havre; Busted Knuckle Brewery of Glasgow; Cut Bank Creek Brewery of Cut Bank; Beaver Creek Brewery of Wibaux; Mighty Mo Brewing Co. and Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Co. of Great Falls; Red Lodge Ales out of Red Lodge; Flathead Lake Brewing Co. of Bigfork, and Roadhouse Brewing Co. of Wyoming.

The winery is Tailing Loop Winery of Kalispell, which is owned by Havre-native Meredith Hanson, Brandt-Bennett said.

The food trucks at the event will be Fat Billy and the Boyz BBQ, the Streatery, Pretty Paint Catering and Parker’s BBQ Pit, she added.

She said two live bands, the Fort Benton duo The Lucky Valentines and Havre’s own Stevie Nixon, will perform at the brewfest.

“We hope people join us and bring their friends and let their out-of-town friends come, too,” Brandt-Bennett said, “because part of this is also bringing people to Havre and showing what Havre has to offer.”

For more information, go to Havre Trails’ Facebook page at https:/www.facebook.com/havretrails/.