They’ve entered the 10-day countdown to the first ever Makers Trail Festival at Weko Beach in Bridgman and you’ll want to line up your tickets soon before the price rises.
They will be popping corks, tapping kegs and pouring spirits on Saturday, June 9th, from 1 to 10 pm, at Weko Beach during the inaugural Makers Trail Festival. Event organizer Calli Berg says, “For the first time ever in Southwest Michigan, you can try the crafts of 23 Berrien County wineries, breweries and distilleries all in one place.” Berg is Executive Director of the Greater Bridgman Area Chamber and Growth Alliance. She notes, “Five live bands, including headliner bluegrass phenom Billy Strings, will make this the beach party of the summer!”
Advance admission tickets are on sale now for only $10 ( for ages 10 years and up) at MakersTrailFestival.org. Children under 10 years are admitted free with accompanying adult. Admission will be $15 cash at the gate, so you’ll want to line up those advance tickets now. Inside the cash-only festival grounds, visitors can purchase drink tasting tickets for $1 each as well as food. An ATM will be available on site for those who forget their cash or need more as the day goes on.
The regional makers showcasing their new drinks and popular favorites will be:
- Arclight Brewing Company
- Black Dragon Meadery
- Gravity Winery
- Greenbush Brewing Co.
- Haymarket Brewery & Taproom
- Hickory Creek Winery
- Journeyman Distillery
- Lake Michigan Vintners
- Lazy Ballerina Winery
- Lehman’s Orchard
- Lemon Creek Winery
- The Livery Microbrewery
- Moonrise Winery
- North Pier Brewing Company
- Red Top Winery
- Round Barn Winery, Distillery and Brewery
- Silver Harbor Brewing Company
- Tabor Hill Winery & Restaurant
- Tapistry Brewing
- Transient Artisan Ales
- Vineyard 2121
- Watermark Brewing Co.
- White Pine Winery
Included with admission is a five-band lineup performing until sunset. The music entertainment will peak when headliner Billy Strings takes the stage between 7:30 and 9:45 pm. Strings, a Michigan native, relocated to Nashville in 2016 where his career has soared with his explosive guitar strumming and passion for American roots music. In August 2017, Rolling Stone named Strings among the “10 New Country Artists You Need to Know.” The Journal of Roots Music “No Depression” newsletter said Strings’ September 2017 debut album, “Turmoil & Tinfoil,” is “a fiery, down-home, foot-stomping, barn burning, sawdust flying” music collection. Preceding him on stage will be regional favorites:
- 1:00-2:00 pm — The Undertakers Blues Band, performing a mix of jump/swing blues, funky blues and tunes for traditional blues fans.
- 2:30-3:30 pm — The Andrew Fisher Quartet, playing neo-soul, funk and jazz.
- 4:00-5:00 pm — StarHeart, a brother and sister duo that sings a combination of folk, rock, blues, funk, hip-hop and country.
- 5:30-6:45 pm — James Neary & The Bevy Blue, that fuses blues with rock and soul.
Berg tells us a wide selection of summer foods and non-alcoholic beverages will also be available from the likes of:
- Classic Catering
- Lake Street Eats
- Nosh Village
- The Icehouse Food Truck (New Orleans-style shaved ice cones)
- Wood, Stock & Grill Food Truck.
Festival-goers will need to use the free offsite parking lots, starting with the Eagle Technologies and American Electric Power (AEP) industrial lots at the corner of Lake Street and Red Arrow Highway. Overflow parking will then be available first at Toth Street Park, then Bridgman Library on Lake Street, Bridgman City Hall on Maple Street, Edgewater Bank on Lake Street and finally, Bridgman High School on Gast Road. Free shuttles will run frequently between the parking lots and several area hotels (the list is posted on MakersTrailFestival.org).
For more information and updates, visit MakersTrailFestival.org.
