St. Clair Shores

Beer Fest coming to Shores

By Kristyne E. Demske
C & G Staff Writer

Brews from far and near will be flowing in the parking lot of Fishbone’s on Jefferson Avenue when the inaugural Toast on the Coast kicks off at 4 p.m. Aug. 25.

Jason Dritsan of Liquid Events in Detroit and co-producer of the beer festival said because it’s the first time, tickets are just $25 each, which includes 15 beer samples and snacks from Nino Salvaggio. Toast on the Coast will run from 4 p.m. to midnight, giving patrons flexibility to come out and spend some time there while still having time to get to a Detroit Tigers game downtown, or vice versa.

He said they’ll have the Detroit Lions exhibition game and the Tigers game on during the event, along with live entertainment from the Brian Sheehan Duo, Acoustic After Party and DJ Erno the Inferno.

Fishbone’s St. Clair Shores, 23722 Jefferson Ave., will also have a shrimp and crawfish boil going that night for patrons to sample for an extra charge.

“We hope that the community at large will support it,” Dritsan said. “We definitely will be supporting a lot of the local beers. One of the things you’ll be able to get is a sneak peek at some of the Oktoberfest beers.”

The event itself will support a good cause, as well — Camp Casey, a horseback riding program for children with cancer in Michigan.

“That’s really important to me,” he said. “I’ve worked with that charity for about a year now. I like doing these events and bringing some fun to people, but we also really enjoy giving back.”

Lauren Maiman, director of public relations for Camp Casey, said the nonprofit organization, based in Royal Oak, brings horseback riding to children with cancer and their families.

One of its programs, Cowboy Campout, is an all-expense-paid trip to a dude ranch resort in Michigan, held twice a year — once on the east side of the state and once on the west side.

The organization’s second program, Horsey House Calls, brings a horse to the child’s yard.

“We have a mini day of fun right in their front or backyard or street,” Maiman said. “We’ve been all over Southeast Michigan with that. It’s really turned into, we have these options for families that know what would be best for their child.”

The organization is eight years old and enjoys partnering with such community fundraisers as the beer festival. It provides services for about 150 children, including siblings of those with cancer, at no cost to them each year.

“We’re excited to get out on the east side, because we haven’t done as many fundraisers out there, but we do serve kids out there, so it’s nice to engage that community,” she said.

Dritsan said he’s hosted successful events like the Winter Beer Fest at the Royal Oak Music Theater and Summer Beer Fest at the Royal Oak Farmer’s Market, but never on the east side.

Beers from Michigan and around the world will be available for tasting; about 60-75 different brews in all. Dritsan said he hopes to see about 1,000 people throughout the night.

“It is completely outside,” Dritsan said, explaining that they will turn the Fishbone’s parking lot into a 10,000 square-foot beer garden with a tent, an outdoor patio and a stage. “There’s a true value in this ticket when you compare it to a lot of the other ones.”

Local brews like those from Dragonmead Microbrewery and Kuhnhenn Brewing Co. in Warren and Rochester Mills Beer Co. in Rochester will be on hand; there will also be a contest for home brewers, with a prize package of $150 for each winner in six categories.

To purchase advance tickets for the event, or for more information, go to ToastontheCoastBeerFest.com.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Kristyne E. Demske at kdemske@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1041.