Roswell Beer Festival to Benefit STAR House

The Roswell Beer Festival is a year in the making, but organizers at the STAR House believe it will be worth the wait.

Over 50 local and craft beers from breweries throughout the country - including Sweetwater Brewery, Mother Earth Brewery, Rogue Brewing Company, Sierra Nevada, Terrapin, Abita Brewing Company and New Holland - will be featured at the May 11 event.

"The idea was actually brought up almost one year ago by the STAR House Board of Directors and past Board Chair, Martha Powell, who saw local beer festivals growing in popularity and quickly becoming the 'next big thing,'" Monica Oliveira, director of development for the STAR House, told Patch.

Tasting all that beer serves a higher purpose, with proceeds going to benefit Roswell's STAR House, which promotes academic success in at-risk youth in Roswell.

"This new and exciting community wide event will not only provide us with additional funds to support our programs, but will give us a unique opportunity to bring our community together to celebrate Roswell, as well as allow us to share our mission with a larger group than ever before," said STAR House Executive Director Kimberly Walther, in a statement.

Pastis generously aggreed to host the event in the parking lot next to the restaurant and even added a special STAR House menu item for the day of the festival.

"Pastis' location is fantastic and is an ideal place to launch this new annual fundraiser," said Oliveira. "We felt that this partnership would be a win-win situation for both STAR House and Pastis, providing great community exposure for us both."

United Distributors will provide the beer for the festival.

All of the proceeds will funnel back to STAR House, which does not charge a fee for its programs including: tutoring, mentoring, enrichment activities promoting life skills and social development, as well as recreational activities promoting team building and confidence-boosting.

"We hope to raise enough money to continue to support these programs, while also extending our community outreach efforts by hosting an event that appeals to new audiences," Oliveira said. "Our goal is to encourage and support students who are facing numerous academic challenges on a daily basis."

The programs provide opportunities STAR House students normally won't enjoy, according to Oliveira.

We help "empower these children, guiding them from kindergarten through high school graduation and helping prepare them to become assets to our community," said said.

The 2013 Roswell Beer Festival will be held on Saturday, May 11 from 12 noon-5 p.m. in the parking lot adjacent to Pastis Restaurant, 928 Canton Street in the heart of downtown Roswell.

Tickets for the Roswell Beer Festival are $30 in advance or $40 at the door. Designated Driver tickets cost $10. The ticket cost covers festival entry, all beer tastings and entertainment from local musicians Cameron Morrison Kane and The Bruce Jones Band.

This event is for those 21 and over only. Printed tickets and proof of identification are required at the door prior to festival entry. A limited number of tickets are available. The event will be held rain or shine. To purchase tickets, visit the website. Beer Festival sponsorships are still available. Contact Oliveira at info@starhousefoundation.org.