The Bar Towel

From C'est What's e-news. Sounds like a hint of the old St Lawrence mini-fest that I quite liked.

And as a parent, I must say I am thrilled at the prospect of a kid-friendly event with beer. (Sorry for the rest of you!)

Hogtown Hoedown
Celebration of local food, beer, and wine

C'est What is teaming up with Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar and other local restaurants, farmers, breweries, and wineries to present the first annual Hogtown Hoedown in Market Lane Park (next to the North Market).

The festival spans two days with two different events. A gala multi-course charity dinner takes place on the evening of Friday July 18 and al la carte tasting samples served on Saturday July 19 featuring local restaurants, GTA craft brewers, and fine Ontario wineries.

To date, confirmed breweries for Saturday include Amsterdam, Black Oak, Denison's, Durham, Granite, Great Lakes, Magnotta, Steam Whistle, Ste. Andre, and Trafalgar. For apple fans, County Cider will also be showing off their wares.

Proceeds from Hogtown Hoedown are in support of local charity, Eva's Initiatives*

Multi-course dinner Friday July 18

A glamorous all-inclusive five-course dinner under a canopy featuring local food paired with fine VQA wine exclusively prepared by the area's top chefs led by Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar. Cocktails and hors d'ourvres from 6:00, dinner starts at 7:00.

$175 per ticket (Charitable receipt issued for $100)

SPECIAL TWO FOR ONE OFFER: For subscribers to the C'est What e-news only. Buy one ticket at the box office and get a second ticket free from C'est What**.

**Limited to first ten subscriber ticket purchases. After purchasing box office tickets e-mail George with purchase details and he will arrange for your complimentary ticket pick-up.

For tickets call the St Lawrence Centre box office at 416-366-7723, toll free at 1-800-708-6754, or online at StLC.com

Group discount rates are available call Al Smith at 416-410-9242. Eight tickets for $1000.

Festival Saturday July 19

- Family friendly, all ages, free admission
- Farmers Market 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Police pancake breakfast from 9:00 to 11:00
- Free Movie Babe at Rainbow Theatre (PWYC for Eva's) 11:00
- Local food, beer, and wine booths from 11:00 to 5:00
- Live music and entertainment with Strange Potatoes

Kids Programs in Piglet Pen include: Face painting, clown, twisty balloons, art and kids cooking classes.

More information on both events is available at MeetMeAtTheMarket.com

*Eva's Initiatives works with homeless and at-risk youth ages 16 to 24 to get them off the streets permanently. We operate three shelters in the Greater Toronto Area that house 122 youth each night.

Our shelters provide homeless youth with emergency and transitional housing, harm reduction services to address drug and alcohol use, counselling, employment and training programs, housing support and services to reconnect youth with their families. Each year we help over 2,300 homeless and at-risk youth to get off the street, find housing and community supports, and begin to rebuild their futures.

Interesting that it coincides with the Kitchener Ribfest and the London Beerfest. What is this? A pissing match to see how far you can stretch the limited resources of the micro's? Why not do it the same weekend as idiot fest (Aug. 9, 10, 11)? We would definitely participate then in a downtown event.

Damn Damn Damn

I'll be in the north woods that weekend

Rob Creighton wrote:Interesting that it coincides with the Kitchener Ribfest and the London Beerfest. What is this? A pissing match to see how far you can stretch the limited resources of the micro's?

No, it's a community/neighbourhood/charity event that has been in the planning for quite some time, but just added the craft beer element recently.

Aside from George at C'est What, I doubt that anyone involved knows - or cares - that there are beer events happening in two other cities that weekend, since beer is not the primary focus of the event.

In keeping with the local theme we have limited ourselves to GTA brewers. Confirmed beers to date are:

Amsterdam Natural Blonde, KLB Raspberry Wheat; Black Oak Pale Ale and Nut Brown Ale; C'est What Sierra's Excellent (Summer) Ale, Homegrown Hemp Ale, and Caraway Rye; Denison's Weissbier; Durham Hop Addict and Witbier; Granite Summer Ale; Great Lakes Golden Horseshoe Lager, Red Leaf Lager, Devil's Pale Ale, and Orange Peel Ale; Mill Street Tankhouse Ale and Belgian Wit; Ste. Andre Vienna Lager; Steam Whistle Pilsner; Trafalgar Korruptor. Magnotta's selection is yet to be confirmed.

I will post the food vendors when I get the complete list.

Seeing as I usually head down to the farmer's market this time of year anyway, I can hardly miss this one. It'll make a good excuse to try the Sierra and Caraway Rye. I go to C'est What a fair bit, but still haven't got around to them yet.

Serving food at the Hoedown will be Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar, Cherry Hill Farms, Crepe It Up, Hot House Cafe, and Kozlicks Mustard.

Magnotta will be bringing their Wunder Weiss and True North IPA.