Several hundred people came out to the Clarkdale Town Park as Smelter Town Brewery poured the second round of the Clarkdale Beer Festival on Saturday, May16, with two live musical acts, food trucks and breweries from around the Verde Valley.
“This year we’ve moved into the town park in Clarkdale, we expanded things a little bit so we have more breweries, more vendors, more food trucks, more people,” Smelter Town bartender and co-organizer Nikki Hynes-Hauke said. “It’s just a fun gathering for all the locals to hang out and to boost sales for the local food trucks and vendors inthe area.” All ticket sales were done on the day of the event.
“We love coming here, not just because it’s close but because it’s a goodtime,” Diana Myers, head brewer at Belfry Brewery, said of their second year at the festival. She praised the event for its organization and said it helps with exposure, especially to visitors from Flagstaff and Phoenix. Hallie Reel and Ellen Mortillaro of Camp Verde were attending the festival for the first time and both said they loved the atmosphere, particularly the music, and were eager to try new breweries. “Have fun and drink beer,” Mortillaro advised other attendees.
