Rhode Island is set to celebrate its second annual RI Craft Beer Week from March 3 to March 12, 2023. This ten-day event is a celebration of the state’s beer manufacturers and will feature a range of happenings at Rhode Island breweries and events at bars, restaurants, liquor stores, and more.
Attendees can look forward to various exciting events, such as the “Saugy Showdown” hot dog eating contest at Linesider Brewing and the “Name Your Beer” Trivia at Narragansett Brewing, where the winning team will get the chance to name a new beer. Smug Brewing will host a Musical Bingo twice during the week, and the “Rhode Map Challenge” contest will be happening all week long, where visiting all the breweries could win participants beer festival tickets.
There are now 36 breweries in the RI Brewers Guild, compared to only five a decade ago, with at least two more set to open in 2023. These small businesses employ Rhode Islanders, add local culture, and boost tourism in the Ocean State. RI Craft Beer Week is an opportunity to celebrate their achievements and recognize their hard work and creativity.
The “Rhode Map Challenge” is one of the more unique features of RI Craft Beer Week. By utilizing the RI Brewers Guild Passport App, craft beer enthusiasts can check into and post photos of their beer from as many RI Breweries as they can that week. Prizes will be awarded to the top five fans, including two tickets to the Newport Beer Festival, two tickets to the Ocean State Beer Festival, two entries to the Craft Brew Races Newport, and more.The RI Brewers Guild reminds participants to drink responsibly and to have a designated driver.
“RI Craft Beer Week is fun because it recognizes the hard work and creativity of small local businesses,” states Rob DaRosa, co-owner and brewer at Smug Brewing Company in Pawtucket. The event is a great reason for people to travel to see their friends’ breweries, even if it means crossing bridges, adds Gregory Martell, co-owner of Rejects Beer Co. in Middletown.
RI Craft Beer Week stickers and coasters will be available at some locations during this week, and all events will be listed on the RI Brewers Guild website by February 24th. For more information about RI Craft Beer Week and to find events near you, visit RI Craft Beer Week – RI Brewers Guild.