By Scott Edger
Little Apple Post
This Saturday, Blue Earth Plaza will be hopping as hops are celebrated during the second annual Flint Hills Beer Fest.
The festival, a fundraising effort put on by Good Sheperd Homecare and Hospice, was postponed last year due to the pandemic. With the 2019 festival having been a huge success, according to Jenneen LeMay, development director at Good Shepherd, the organization is excited to be able to again make those connections.
“I think everyone is glad to be able to do something resembling normal,” LeMay said. “We are seeing a lot of people for the Beer Fest that we don’t see at the Festival of Wines. It’s a real positive for us to be recognized and be able to reach more of this community.”
The festivities will be at Blue Earth Plaza in downtown Manhattan, with food trucks, vendors, and of course, beer. LeMay said her organization, like most, have had challenges trying to organize a large event with Covid threats looming.
“We started reaching out to breweries in February,” LeMay said. “Everybody seems like they are scrambling because of staffing problems, supply shortages, even drivers. Some people had to hold off on planning a little while but we are excited to be able to move forward.”
Shortages can put a real damper on a beer festival. LeMay said the festival is fully outfitted and assures that her group has successfully acquired the essentials.
“Oh, we have the beer,” she said. “We’ve had challenges getting other things, but we definitely have beer.”
The 2019 event was sold out and LeMay said this year’s attendance is on pace. “I have seen how much this community supports one another and non-profits. There are a lot of events happening right now but the people here are outstanding.”
As the only inpatient hospice facility in the area, funds raised by the festival allow Good Shepherd to continue to provide hospice care, palliative home health, and home care services, available to all, regardless of ability to pay.
Live music from Chappie as well as Jimmy Lewin and the Kingtones will be performed throughout the festival. There are a few VIP tickets are still available for $65 per person. General Admission tickets are $40. VIP entrance starts at 3 p.m. and general admission at 4 p.m.