Back for the eighth year with a couple new twists, the annual Winter Brews & Stews will be held in downtown Greenfield on Saturday, March 9.
The event starts at 6 p.m. and is hosted by neighboring businesses Catch 22 Sports Pub at 250 Jefferson St. and Jerry’s Pizza at 237 Jefferson St.
One of the changes this year is that a panel of judges will taste test and award first, second and third place in both the chili and brews categories. In addition, a silent auction has been eliminated and replaced with door prizes that will be raffled off from 6-10 p.m.
“This is the eighth year for Winter Brews & Stews, and we thought it was time to up the stakes on bragging rights by bringing in a judging panel,” said event coordinator Kyle Barr. “I still want to be sure you bring some cash, because Tyler Brown is ready to defend his 2018 champion title.”
An admission fee of $15, charged at the door, entitles each guest to taste a variety of the area’s local stews and chili, one free domestic drink, and one raffle ticket. Alcoholic beverages and food tasting will be available at each location.
Another new angle this year is that the People’s Choice Award will be named, based on the entry with the most votes from the public. The public will vote by dropping change or dollars in voting soup pots located in front of the entry.
Entry forms for submitting a stew or chili are available at www.g3greenfield.org, @G3 on Facebook, or you can email a request for the form to [email protected]. You may also pick up or drop off your entry form at the Greenfield Branch Library.
The event is an annual fundraiser for Grow Greater Greenfield (G3), a local organization dedicated to improving life in and around Greenfield.
G3 President Merleen VanDyke said that the door prizes so far include tickets to “Tecumseh,” the Cincinnati Reds, Wildlife Safari and other things to do, all donated by local businesses.
“We are hoping to choose a winner every 30 minutes throughout the evening. Additional raffle tickets can be purchased at the event” VanDyke said.
The evening will also include live music from the Jimmy Hudson Band and SNL Acoustics beginning at 6 p.m.
The Jimmy Hudson Band is from Columbus and plays a taste of Memphis rock, soul, blues and rockabilly with some Nashville twang. The band is fronted by the vocals and guitar of Jimmy Hudson. He is backed by Molly Young on bass and Don Blakely on drums. Offering more than 1,000 songs, the band will be playing at Jerry’s Pizza.
SNL Acoustics will be playing at Catch 22 for the evening. This band delivers a fantastic sound and plays everything from rock and blues to country.
Follow the event on Facebook @Grow Greater Greenfield and @Visitors Bureau of Highland County.
Destiny Bryson, executive director of the Highland County Visitors Bureau, provided the information for this story.
