It’s almost here. In just a few days, Harrisburg Beer Week — the collaborative many months-long labor of love between Tierney, Chelsie, Colleen and me — will be here.
This small dream has grown into a glorious 130 140+ events over nine days, the majority of which feature LOCAL breweries, all at locally owned bars, restaurants and other small businesses.
We are more than a little excited. And hopefully, you are too.
But let’s get realistic. We can’t go to every event — no one can. And with so much action, we need to plan strategically.
Here are the best bets and some tips on surviving Harrisburg Beer Week:
Get the skinny
By now hopefully you’ve gotten your hands on one of our printed Event Guides (we’ll have more at the Kick-Off and PA Flavor) or you’ve at least perused the website event page.
- Best bet: Sign-up for our email list. We’ll be sending daily emails breaking down EACH DAY’S events.
- Use the Event Guide (web/online/email) to plot out your week. I would suggest picking 1-2 items for each weekend and/or 2-3 days during the week. Keep your eyes open for events in your ‘hood, favorite breweries — or better yet, new-to-you breweries for maximum enjoyment. Bonus: Don’t forget our educational events.
- Curate: Check out my handpicked under-the-radar events for Harrisburg Beer Week via Fly Magazine.
Celebrate responsibly
We’ve partnered with Uber and the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association to secure great deals to ensure it’s easy for you be safe during Harrisburg Beer Week.
- Uber: Use the promo code “hbgbeerweek” to get your first uberX ride, up to $20, free! Plus, for each ride taken, Uber Harrisburg will donate $2 to Harrisburg River Rescue and Emergency Services.
- Four local hotels are offering weeklong discounts during Harrisburg Beer Week.
Choose wisely
When planning your #HBGBeerWeek schedule (see above) be sure to balance fests with food-related events and educational seminars. There are plenty of options to choose from!
- Schedule: Let’s say you’re doing the Battle of the Homebrew Clubs (excellent choice, by the way) — maybe leading up to that with a beer brunch isn’t ideal, BUT — you’ll get to bed early so you can start the week fresh and pick-up some mid-week fun like the Victory Double Randall at Arooga’s Downtown on Tuesday.
- Learn: Take the opportunity to educate yourself, whether with a beer and & food pairing at Wegman’s, Beer Science class at ABC, a homebrew demo at Al’s of Hampden, or our Pennsylvania Women in Beer Conference — Add some learning to the mix.
- Balance: — figuratively or literally — we have *2* different Yoga & Beer events with Om My Yoga.
- Eat: Don’t forget to nourish yourself — and there’s plenty of opportunity for that, like the Troegs Oyster Bar at Brewhouse Grille, Beer & Small Plate Pairing at the Senators, Cheese & Beer Pairing with St. Boniface at Rubicon, or the Beer Pairing Dinner with Wyndridge Farm at Noonan’s Tavern.
- Save it for later: Grab some #HBGBeerWeek swag at various locations throughout the week, and look for cases of 16 oz cans of our (717) Collaboration Ale, a Harrisburg Beer Week exclusive! Don’t forget, all of this benefits Harrisburg River Rescue!
Make the most of downtime
Personally, I’ll be clearing much of my schedule otherwise as this becomes my life for the week. However, I’ll still be making my gym commitments, trying to eat right and making sleep a priority. You know how I roll.
I always try to stick to a healthy breakfast and lunch so there’s a little extra room for play in the evenings. Moderation is key, all around. Remember, you don’t have to drink #allthebeer. To keep myself accountable, I even signed up for a race the day after Beer Week concludes (or maybe because I’m insane). I’ll be running the Vinewinder, because how else to celebrate the conclusion of Harrisburg Beer Week than a 4 mile run at a winery?
Let’s get real
Okay, let’s be serious. Some of us are going to end up a little less than awesome a few mornings next week.
If you’re coming to the Official Kick-Off Party or PA Flavor, stop by our table and grab a sample of Blowfish for Hangovers. It’s an effervescent with caffeine (kinda like Alka Seltzer in that fizzy way), but it’s the only FDA-approved hangover treatment. And, uh, it works pretty well. Wake up, drop it in a pint of water, drink up, feel better.
Want to stock up? Buy on Amazon or at CVS stores.
Here are some other stories that might help you through the week:
https://www.sarabozich.com/2014/04/3-beer-festival-fashion-tips/
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-18283/9-holistic-ways-to-beat-a-hangover.html
