Third Annual Beer Fest Draws Large Crowd For Franklin Food Bank

Attendees at the third annual Beer Fest, benefiting the Franklin Food Bank.

It was beer, beer, music, more beer and food April 1 during the third annual beer tasting fundraiser at Suydam Farms.

The event – which has had a couple of names but is now known as Beer Fest – benefits the Franklin Food Bank and featured craft brewers, music and a variety of food.

Food Bank executive director Frank Hasner said during the day that although final tallies had not yet been completed, indications were that the April 1 event would surpass last year’s fundraising total of between $3,000 and $4,000.

“Turnout was absolutely wonderful,” he said. “The sun came out and smiled on us.”

One of the major sponsors of the event – and all food bank fundraisers during the year – is Stop & Shop. The store managers for the Rutgers Plaza and Veronica Avenue stores – Mark Blackwell and Joe Chester, respectively – were on hand for the day.

“It’s important to give back to the community,” Blackwell said. “We always try to support anything that has to do with kids, eating healthy and feeding people who are less fortunate.”

Hasner said that the number of families who rely on the food bank has “leveled off a little bit, and that’s a great sign.”

“But the people who are in need continue to be in need, and maybe a little more,” he said. “So we have to stay vigilant.”

“The other issue is that all of of our equipment and our facilities are getting older and need maintenance, it’s costing more to get food to people. We can’t relax, we have to continue to make sure that we provide funding so that we can deliver product to our neighbors,” Hasner said. “It doesn’t take a lot before you’re in a situation where you’ve got trouble, so thanks to the community here in Franklin, we’re able to feed our neighbors.”

The craft beers for the event were donated through Scarlet Knight Liquors and musical entertainment was Screamin’ Rebel Angels, Crash Gordon and Debra Dynamite and Kevin Hill, with sound provided by Iguana Music & Sound.

2017 Beer Fest

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