Spring forward to June 3 to anticipate the date of the fourth annual Hop Sauce Festival in Beach Haven. Locally based Jetty, Spice It Up and Shore Point Distributing are again proud to present the event that last year saw some 6,000 lovers of craft beer, art, flavor and music flock to Long Beach Island.
The event on the Saturday after Memorial Day has grown steadily in both scope and attendance since 2014. This year will be marked with a renewed focus on quality and originality, say organizers, spotlighting the amazing brews, tasty local food, creative hot sauces, inspired art, acclaimed original music and incredible people that make this community event what it is.
For 2017, Lee Fields & the Expressions will headline the Toms River Volkswagen Music Stage at the Taylor Avenue Waterfront in view of the bay.
Fields is a celebrated soul and funk artist who has been making music since the 1960s, touring the world with the likes of Hip Huggers and O.V. Wright. In recent years, Fields’ music has caught the attention of younger audiences at popular venues such as Philly’s Union Transfer, re-igniting the career of this soulful crooner. His style will bring all the generations together at Hop Sauce Fest’s crescendo.
The Hop Sauce Festival brings together gourmet hot sauces, more than 25 craft beers, delicious food from local vendors, five original bands, and a host of creative new additions including artwork, pre-events, after parties and new sponsors.
Partners both local and national have lined up to be a part of this progressive-minded festival that celebrates the beginning of another summer on Long Beach Island.
“Every year, we’ve grown this event. But at the end of the day, we don’t mark our success by the amount of people who come through that gate,” said Regina Lotito, Hop Sauce Fest coordinator and owner of Spice It Up in Bay Village, Beach Haven.
“From the start, our goal was to curate an exceptionally good time for regular people who appreciate quality food, drink and culture. Of course, we can’t wait to see all of Beach Haven dancing to Lee Fields and the Expressions, but this year we are really just concentrating on a well-run festival, great partners, and the stories behind it all,” she said.
Hop Sauce will again partner with Shore Point Distributing, which will have more than a dozen different brewery offerings on tap. Shore Point has been a tireless supporter of Hop Sauce and the growing craft beer scene in the area.
The festival will also prop up a host of independent brewers from around the state at the Indy Craft Beer tent, particularly Ship Bottom Brewery and ManaFirkin Brewing Co., the two breweries that have opened in the LBI area this year.
Beer lovers can also taste their way through exciting offerings from North Carolina’s 3rd Rock, Brooklyn’s Sixpoint, Jersey’s own Flying Fish & Asbury Park Breweries, and plenty more.
Once again, creative restaurants will offer reasonably priced fare for pairing with the heat. Festival goers can try The Chicken or the Egg, El Swell, The Woo Hoo, Shore Fire Grille, Tuckers Tavern, Living on the Veg, Country Kettle Chowda, The Black Whale and Barry’s Do Me a Flavor, with spice from Born to Hula, Deception Salsa, Habarita Fiery Fusion, Pilsudski Mustard, Defcon Sauces, Righteous Felon Jerky Cartel, Bonfatto’s, Gemini Crow, World Famous Hot Sauce, Jersey Bonfire, Voodoo Chile, High River Sauces, Hank Sauce, Red Hawk Premium Peppers, Whitehouse Station and JakJeckel Pepper Sauce.
A portion of the proceeds are always earmarked for Jetty’s nonprofit arm, the Jetty Rock Foundation, which uses funds for youth initiatives, for those in need, and to enhance the community.
This growing shoulder season event also aims to improve business and tourism during the traditionally slow weeks after the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
For the most up-to-date information, visit Hopsaucefest.com and follow the official social outlets: facebook.com/hopsaucefest and @hopsaucefest on Instagram and Twitter.
— Maria Scandale