Introducing the first celebration of its kind: a Celtic New Year’s Eve at River St. Joe in Buchanan. December 31st marks the end of 2022, and the farmstead brewery invites you to the gorgeous grounds to enjoy the fantastic festivities planned for an unforgettable bash.
“A number of our staff and founders are of Irish and Scottish descent, and when considering the holiday, “Hogmanay”–the Scottish New Year celebration–came to mind as a source of inspiration,” says MaryAnne Bryan, Event Coordinator at River St. Joe.
Tickets for this event are $65 per person, and include a delicious buffet dinner, live music by Celtic music duo The Jammy Dodgers, fun and friendship around the fire pits, and a champagne toast at 7 p.m (the Celtic New Year!). Beer, wine, and cider will also be available for purchase throughout the event, and the Celtic-themed buffet by Chef Tony will feature traditional comfort dishes like cottage pie, bangers & mash, Dublin coddle, bread pudding, and more.
River St. Joe has just debuted two new beverages, perfect for ringing in the New Year: “Dark Nights Cider” and “Solstice Saison”. Dark Nights is a house-made dry cider, fermented with local organic apples from Earth First Farms in Berrien Center. “Steeped with traditional winter spices, including vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks and cloves, it brings a little warmth on these cold winter nights. The Solstice Saison was brewed with a blend of rye and wheat malt, with notes of stone fruit and a bubblegum sweetness that are balanced by the rye spice and a soft wheat finish.”
The celebration can be enjoyed inside the cozy taproom, around the fires, or huddled with loved ones inside the heated greenhouses, and if you just want to visit for the day, regular business hours will be 12 p.m – 4 p.m on Saturday, December 31st. Doors open for the ticketed event at 5:30 p.m, and last call is at 9:30 p.m.
“This is our first New Years Eve Party!” says MaryAnne. “In past years we’ve closed due to COVID-19 and to allow our staff to celebrate the holiday, but we are excited to offer our first New Year’s Eve event now in our 3rd year, and to ring in 2023 in River Saint Joe style!”
Tickets can be purchased online at riversaintjoe.com, and the farm, brewery, and event space is located at 15475 Walton Road in Buchanan. Their commitment to sustainability and community offers a memorable experience, a breathtaking setting to enjoy the fruits of their labor, and sets an example for what working with the land can accomplish. Welcome 2023 at River St. Joe!
By Jocelyne Tuszynski, MOTM Contributor
