Dressed in a blue-and-white checkered suit with his glass held high, Scott Castleman called "cheers" to a small crowd at Capitol Market Wednesday, after announcing the Market's exclusive beer festival happening July 16 from 6 to 9 p.m.
Around 20 breweries will participate in the inaugural Capitol Market On Tap! event, including Big Timber Brewing Company, Charleston Brewing Company and New Belgium Brewing Company. Each will feature three or four of their own beers.
Live music from the Voodoo Katz and Total Meltdown will be featured in Center Court as guests enjoy unlimited beer samples.
Capitol Market vendors will offer an assortment of food at the event, featuring fresh-ground barbecue bacon burgers, slow-cooked barbecue sliders, fish and chips, sushi, salted caramel cake bites and more. Attendees are encouraged to bring cash to purchase food and souvenirs.
Castleman, vice president of the Capitol Market Board of Directors, says the event will be limited to about 500 people to keep the festival enjoyable and less congested. He urges people to buy their tickets soon. (As for his distinctive suit, it's a traditional Bavarian outfit often associated with Oktoberfest.)
General admission is $40 and includes a commemorative sampler mason jar. VIP admission, limited to one hundred, is $65 and includes one-hour early access and a souvenir Capitol Market On Tap! Howler, as well as a commemorative sampler mason jar.
Tickets are available for purchase at CapitolMarketOnTap.com. Proceeds will go toward Capitol Market and tickets are tax-deductible.
C&H Taxi will provide free rides home for the first 15 miles to attendees the night of the event to ensure guests safety.
Reach Jennifer Gardner at jennifer.gardner@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5102 or follow @jennc_gardner on Twitter.