Conquering Blues & Brews

Planning Your Blues & Brews Craft Beer Strategy

Grayson’s Blues & Brews is just a LOT of fun! We offer the chance to try a wide variety of beer while hanging out with lots of other beer connoisseurs as well as local brewers … all the while being treated to some phenomenal blues from Stephen Hendrix and Sonny Moorman and their groups.  Big fun in a little town. It’s a great way to spend a few hours … outside … in the park … music and beer.Nirvana.  

But to really ENJOY the whole extravaganza, it’s good to do a little planning. Not only for the sake of survival, but to get absolutely the most out of your day!

• Pace Yourself – It’s not a race. You’ve got four hours to make your way around the venue. We’ve provided the opportunity to drink many beers, not to drink uncontrollably. Taste the beer – don’t shoot it . Decide if you like it enough to taste it again or if you not, just dump it. Not every beer is for everybody. 
• Stay Hydrated – Drink water before you come, or grab some up from some of our vendors at the park. Seriously. This is probably one of the single most important survival tactics for a beer tasting festival! 
• Eat – If you haven’t eaten before you come, we’ll have lots for you to choose from. Our favorite local restaurants will be on hand with reasonably priced food that are all perfect pairings for the many brews on hand. The Hail Mary Pub, Graft, Zaxby’s, Johnny’s Pizza and Rey’s Cuban Café will have everything from brats to chicken. We’ll also have some desserts for those with a sweet tooth as Tracy’s Tasties will be joining us this year. 
• Dress Appropriately – The festival is outside in Grayson Community Park. The forecast looks to be mostly sunny with temperatures in the mid-80’s. Wear comfortable shoes and feel free to bring a chair so you can sit and enjoy the music as much as the brews!  
• Have a Plan – Check out our list of brews on our website or on Patch. And go ahead and resolve yourself to the idea that believe it or not, you’re going to end up thinking and talking about beer and breweries. Just accept it. You’ll be discussing beer styles with your friends and hearing about all the new Georgia breweries that will be represented and “OMG! You MUST try this” … Yeah. It happens. Decide which beers are “must tries” and work out a plan to try those first. Or just meander throughout the park and try the ones that suit your fancy. We’re not hoity-toity. It’s all in good fun. You’ll get a brochure at the gate that directs you to each brew.
• Bring Cash – Some of our vendors accept credit and debit cards; others do not. We will accept credit and debit at the gate for admissions. 
• Bring a Pen and Paper – You might not plan to get all “beer-geeky” but you’re going to come across a beer or five that you really, really like and you’ll want to remember it. You can mark it on your event brochure, or take a photo with your phone … yeah … that’ll work!
• Don't Drink and Drive - This is important. The festival organizers and sponsors have provided a safe ride for you; take advantage of it. 

We’ll have some chairs and tables for dining and relaxing, but we invite you to bring your own lawn chair, find a bit of shade, and enjoy the fantastic music we have lined up for you. After all, it’s BLUES and Brews!

Have fun. That’s a mandate from the organizers! 

Grayson Blues & Brews is Saturday, October 5 from 2 until 6 p.m. in Grayson Community Park. It is hosted by the Grayson Downtown Development Authority as a fundraiser for the Grayson Children's Fund and the Grayson DDA. 

Tickets can be purchased online at www.grayson-bluesandbrews.com. General Admission is $30 through Friday, October 4th and $35 on the day of the event. Grayson Blues & Brews is a 21 and over event; no children or pets will be admitted.