Inaugural brew fest a hit with beer and music lovers

Ronan’s inaugural Summer Solstice Festival and Brewfest attracted a fun-loving crowd to the Lake County Fairgrounds on Saturday.

“I’m loving it,” said Taylor Strand of Bitterroot Brewing. “It’s the first-ever Ronan brew fest – I wasn’t going to miss it.”

Chamber member Katie Jo Elliott, who chaired the team of ardent volunteers that organized the event, estimated that around 450 people spread out on the lawn between the community center and the livestock barns to sample libations from 10 breweries, enjoy – and in some cases – dance to music by three bands, and buy food from an array of vendors.

“A lot of people have been talking about doing a brew fest in the community and how cool that would be,” Elliott says. They discussed pairing one with the annual Harvest Fest, “but the timing wasn’t right.”

This year, “we just went all in,” she says. With funding from the Ronan Chamber and lots of organizational advice from brewer Jim Myers at Ronan Co-op Brewery, they recruited a dozen breweries (although two had to back out).

“We hope to grow it next year, but 10 was kind of a sweet number for us,” Elliott says. Each brewer brought at least two beers to sample, and some brought up to four, “so there were a ton for people to try.”

“Jim helped me understand what breweries want,” Elliott said. “That was a huge focus for me to make sure our breweries are happy and will spread the word next year.”

The chamber bought beer (instead of asking breweries to donate all of it), put together gift baskets and hosted a post-festival dinner for brewers and musicians at Ninepipes.

“We’ve gotten so many compliments from them on how much heart has been put into this brew fest,” she said, along with promises that they’ll return next year.

The festival itself had a light-hearted, friendly vibe as friends and family congregated at picnic tables or plopped lawn chairs in the shade.

Elliott credits her hard-working team with the success and says they’re already plotting next year’s event.

“My goal is to turn it into a multi-day music fest with a brew fest,” she says. “I’m just kind of a go-big-or-go-home gal.”

The People's Choice Award went to hometown faves, the Ronan Co-op Brewery, while Polson’s Glacier Brewing earned the Fullest Glass award. Canyon Ferry Brewing received the nod for Best Booth, while Philipsburg Brewing took the most votes for “Life of the Party.”