Ohio Brew Week

Jon Sparhawk Memorial Scholarship & Community Fund

Ohio Brew Week to take the sting out of summer for independent businesses

By Dan Gates
Director
Ohio Brew Week

When Jon Sparhawk first told me about his idea for a brew festival, I looked at him like he was crazy. “That would make us look like yahoos,” I said. Without missing a beat, Jon responded: “Dan, we are yahoos.” With that attitude, Jon, myself, Melody and Kim Sands, began the intense task of organizing the first festival last year. We started in late May for a July event, so the hours put in by all of us were enormous. But Jon never once let up with the ideas or as gently prodding force behind the scenes, pushing forward this idea.

We all were inspired by Jon’s vision for Ohio Brew Week and clearly recognized the economic possibilities with a well-run, classy event in the very slow summer months of Athens. Small, locally-owned, independent restaurants and businesses struggle during summer when Ohio University is not in session. The city and county do not have large festivals or events that could draw in thousands, which we all believed Brew Week could do.

To our delight, Ohio Brew Week 2006 was a great success. People came here from Oklahoma, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Indiana, Maine and Kentucky. One couple traveled from Cleveland to a cabin in the Hocking Hills, decided they were having fun, found a preacher to marry them, and used Brew Week as their honeymoon. Out-of-towners flooded the Brew Week booth during Boogie on the Bricks, leaving their contact info for this year’s event. We know the crowds are coming: we’ve got a confirmed coach group of Beer Explorers, homebrew clubs from all over the region and groups from the rest of the state. This activity is the heat of a southern Ohio summer is good news for Athens. An influx of outside income from visitors circulates throughout the community.

The restaurants are hiring more staff, ordering food from local producers; musicians are being hired to play in the evenings; graphics artists, website developers, printers are all getting work out of Brew Week. Independent restaurants, pubs and taverns and locally-owned businesses will benefit greatly from the influx of visitors. And, the benefit has ripple effect as they order brews from independent, locally-owned breweries. We're helping locally and statewide, getting more attention to this emerging industry which grew by 13% last year.

Bringing new money into town helps hotels, gas stations, gift shops, etc. Ohio Brew Week is occurring because we are willing to work the 80 hours per week because we get Jon’s vision. We have dedicated this event in his memory because he wanted everyone in Athens to prosper, especially in the slow summertime.

Ohio Brew Week is good for Athens in other ways. It shows, that with careful planning, a strong focus, events can be held here that are educational, classy and fun for all attending, and comfortable for the city to help host. Last year, Athens got unprecedented positive coverage in the state’s largest circulation newspaper, three-pages in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, two-pages in the Columbus Dispatch, and mention on radio and TV shows throughout the state along with hundreds of blogs and listservs. Comments and coverage was all positive and showed off Athens as a great place to visit.

Ohio Brew Week is about entrepreneurship. Small restaurants struggle against the national chains, yet during Brew Week, the local eateries are creating some fine and unusual cuisine made with Ohio microbrews. Our own entrepreneurial jewel, Jackie O's Pub & Brewery is celebrating its first full year of operation. As Athens' only brewery, it has become an Athens gem, on its way to becoming an Athens Legend. Art Oestrike, the owner, and his brewer, Brad Clark brewed a special beer, Ohio Brew Week Sparbock, in honor of Jon. Their creative spirit and enthusiasm for Brew Week will benefit their small business all week.

The 1st Ohio Brew Week Microbrew Cooking Competition is attracting lots of entrees from all over the state. This event is also being held in Jon's honor. The students the Hocking College Culinary Arts School are creating some wonderful entries for the pro category. Chef Doug Weber at the student-run restaurant Rhapsody in Nelsonville is featuring gourmet beer-flavored entrees all week as are most of the participating Athens restaurants such as Seven Sauces, Toscano’s, the Casa, Skippers. The pubs and taverns created snacks and events for the week as well.

Brew Week is also reaching out to our neighbor city Nelsonville, so more people in the county benefit. On Wednesday, the first Ohio Brew Week Brew Choo Choo will let you ride the historic Hocking Valley Scenic Railway and sample some great microbrews while cruising thru the countryside. This ride will help that non-profit attraction survive the summer as well.

Then there's an ART WALK through the Historic Arts District on the Public Square, one block from the train. Artists are busy now creating really unusual beer mugs Maggie’s new gelato store is offering apricot ale gelato. Art shops like the Only from Ohio store with its 1,500 Ohio artisans and the Hocking Valley Art Supply store have special art on display.

First time the city has agreed to a Brew Week sampling on the brick streets! This tent will raise money for continuing our great community festival, Boogie on the Bricks. Every part of Brew Week will benefit our community. Small business owners, artisans, musicians, local food producers all will see increased business next week and the weeks afterwards. Brew Week is good for Athens overall, and besides, where else on the planet can you get PawPaw flavored beer?