Organizers of the inaugural St. Augustine Brewers’ Festival presented a donation of $9,421.27 to the nonprofit St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum. The event was held on Saturday, May 11 at the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park.  In addition to the donation to the lighthouse, Brewers’ Fest organizers also donated $1,000 to Keepers of the Coast, which provided a water refill station during the event.

“We are thrilled to be selected as a beneficiary of the first ever St. Augustine Brewers’ Festival. Everything we do at the Museum saves our maritime past,” said Kathy Fleming, Executive Director of the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum.

The event included craft beer tastings by 26 local and regional breweries. Merchandise was created by Skinny Lizard T-shirt Printers. Leonard’s Photography provided a fun photo booth for guests.  

Live music included performances by bands Lonesome Bert & The Skinny Lizards, Paco Lipp, Brett Bass and the Melted Plectrum, and headliner Fire Tire. Bicycle racks and a Bike Valet were be provided by VeloFest.

“We we’re thrilled with the community support and success of the event. We are looking forward to even more success in year two and launching our new not-for-profit Brewing a Community,” said Courtney Murr, a team member and organizer of the St. Augustine Brewers’ Festival.

Food trucks and vendors included Wingin’ It Food Truck, Auntie Anne’s, Weenie Panini, The Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops, and Moon Booch Kombucha.

St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum volunteers worked tirelessly during the event and were willing to help in any capacity,” said Miranda Bailey, Volunteer & Event Manager at the Museum. “I was very proud of the support they provided during the day. They were a big reason that the event was such a success!”

More than 37 volunteers arrived early to help with set-up and stayed throughout the day to help with a variety of tasks. During the day, volunteers assisted in the VIP, parking lot and VeloFest valet bicycle areas. They also provided support for ticketing and the kid’s zone, while others kept the breweries stocked with ice throughout the day.

Sponsors of this event include the St. Augustine Distillery, Skinny Lizard Printing, Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield by Marriott, Eye Center of St. Augustine, Bozard Ford, Leonard’s, Old Town Trolley Tours, Hornski’s Vinyl Lounge, Mojo Old City BBQ, Mangrove Surf Shop, The Spice & Tea Exchange, The Kookaburra Coffee, and A Frame Sauce Company.

Stay updated at stabrewersfest.com for details about the 2020 St. Augustine Brewers’ Fest.

ABOUT THE ST. AUGUSTINE LIGHTHOUSE & MARITIME MUSEUM:

A defensive and navigation tool and landmark of St. Augustine for 145 years, the St. Augustine Light Station watches over the waters of the Nation’s Oldest Port®. Through interactive exhibits, guided tours and maritime research, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, Inc. is on a mission to discover, preserve, present and keep alive the stories of the Nation’s Oldest Port® as symbolized by our working lighthouse. We are the parent organization to the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program (LAMP) and an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. (StAugustineLighthouse.org)

ABOUT THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS:

The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition afforded the nation’s museums. The American Alliance of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. As the ultimate mark of distinction in the museum field, accreditation signifies excellence and credibility. Accreditation helps to ensure the integrity and accessibility of museum collections,  and reinforces the education and public service roles of museums and promote good governance practices and ethical behavior. Representing more than 35,000 individual museum professionals and volunteers, institutions, and corporate partners serving the museum field, the Alliance stands for the broad scope of the museum community. (www.aam-us.org)