The Friends of the Pool and Park Foundation encourage area residents to mark their calendars for Brewfest 2025 scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 12 at Sweet Memorial Park in Chinook from 4:00 until 9:00 p.m. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Chinook Pool and Park project.
Before the Friends of the Pool and Park was even founded, a group of like-minded individuals determined that a Brewfest was in order for the 2019 Chinook High School All-Class Reunion. Kelsey Harry originally had the idea to hold a Brewfest to raise money for park equipment.
“I soon discovered that planning a Brewfest on my own was really daunting, so I called on Heather DePriest to help me. She’s a pro at these kinds of events. The first Brewfest was a hit, and we had so much fun! So, when Heather had the idea to form the Friends of the Pool and Park Foundation, I jumped on board, and we put our Brewfest efforts toward the pool and park rehabilitation. All of our subsequent Brewfests have been successful, even the year that it poured rain for the entire evening,” Harry recalls.
Although the group has learned through trial and error over the years with this event, they feel confident about the July 12 Brewfest. “One year we ran out of beer by 6:00 p.m. We underestimated how thirsty the people of Chinook are! But now we’ve got everything dialed in and things run very smoothly,” Harry reported.
Brewfest 2025 will feature craft beers, ciders, and wine selections. “We’ll have beer from breweries all over Montana as well as some domestic options for people who don’t like craft beer,” Harry stated.
Besides beverages, entertainment in the form of music by the Stonebroke String Band will be present for the Brewfest. The band, composed of Mickey Haney, Gabe Harry, Tim Whitney, and Kelsie Harwood, have donated their talents to the brewfest event every year except the first one, according to Harry.
“As soon as the band starts playing, it really feels like a party. I love it. There will also be several food options available, including Acai bowls made by Lu Ann Brabson,” Harry offered.
For the price of a ticket, purchasers will receive unlimited samples and a commemorative beer glass. Anyone wanting to pre-pay for a ticket can visit http://www.chinookfriends.org.
Another way the group raises money is through a silent auction. Anyone interested in donating items for the auction can contact Tammy Edwards at (406) 399-1428.