(The following is a special series on Bluejeanfoodcritic.com written by guest contributing writer William Knowles. He highlights his passions of of trying something new whenever the opportunity presents itself, or possibly something old, but new again since it has been a while. I hope you enjoy his very special perspective that I am sure many of you can relate to. Follow him on his exciting journey “Around Town”)
2016 Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival
Three years in a row! I again was able to attend the Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival. Like the prior versions, the 2016 event had three sessions spread out over two days, Friday, April 8th and Saturday the 9th. Again held at the Atlantic City Convention Center, this was the 11th annual event, and is a runner up for the top beer festival in the country. All three of the sessions were sold out, and Jon Henderson and his team outdid themselves once again.
Over 140 total breweries were in attendance, with many returning from years past – Anchor Brewery, the Cape May Brewing Company, Coney Island Brewing Co., Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales, Harpoon Brewery, Magic Hat, Troegs Craft Brewery, Yards Brewing Co., Victory Brewing Company, Flying Fish Brewing Co., Redd’s, 21st Amendment Brewery, Big Muddy Brewing, Horny Goat Brewing Co., Shiner Bock, Firestone Walker, and Captain Lawrence. Two new favorites of mine were there with fantastic ginger beer – Hollows & Fentimans, and Barritt’s.
There were again numerous options for food: Phillips’ Seafood House provided crab cake sandwiches, Philadelphia favorite Chickie’s and Pete’s with crab fries, and Tony Baloney’s Pizza and Subs was on hand again with their famous “mustache mobile”. The Continental, Stephen Starr’s submission to the festival, provided great cheesesteak egg rolls.
Once again, live music proved a big part of the festivities – Dashboard Confessional, Manchester Orchestra and Reel Big Fish were this year’s main attractions. The event organizers again did a great job in their attempts to place firm emphasis on fun no matter where you were throughout the day. A regulation size football goalpost was mounted in one wing of the hall, allowing amateur participants as well as NFL hopefuls to take a shot at a field goal. A mini go-kart race track was again a hit, and new this year – the “silent disco” (where dancers hit the floor with headphones on, not allowing an outsider to hear what they were dancing to). The “Batmobile” also made an appearance, promoting another upcoming comic book event at the convention center…
I hope to be there again in 2017 for the 12th annual event. As I have said before, I urge any beer lover who has not made their way to AC in the past to join me! See you yet again later this week “around town”…
BlueJeanFood 