It is hard to imagine that New Belgium Brewing,
a certified B-Corp company, as well as one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work, will be celebrating their 25th anniversary this year with a lot of celebrations including a special 12-pack of beers brewed in collaboration with other small breweries around the U.S.
They are also returning to the banks of the Grand River’s Ah-Nab-Awen Park for their annual
Clips Beer & Film Tour on Friday, July 15.
This free event is switching things up this time as they feature not just their classic format of short films but this year they have decided to curate films they themselves have funded via the contributions they made to filmmakers.
The event opens two hours in advance of showtime, so you can sample any one of the many famous, as well as the rare, beer offerings.
Proceeds from the sale of the beer sold this evening will stay local as they are gifted to the Greater Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition. In total, Clips has raised more than $659,000 for nonprofits, with close to $10,000 coming from Grand Rapids in 2015.
“This year is actually New Belgium’s 25th anniversary, so we’re doing things a little differently,” said Christie Catania, Clips national special events manager. “We asked 10 filmmakers to incorporate the year 1991 into their film as a way to salute the year that New Belgium got its start. The films do a great job of bringing us back to the glory days of big hair, questionable fashion and outdated technology!”
Advice for first-timers: You are welcome to pack a picnic basket (no outside beverages) but why when Clips has such amazing food trucks on site this year.
Bring your water bottle. They give water away for free but you will want to have a receptacle to refill as you need it.
Dogs are welcome but you have to keep them on a leash. Yes, your pooch is cute but if he tramples a picnic underway or a knocks over a child, then it kind of ruins someone’s night, so be responsible. Of course if you are a dog owner it goes without saying, bring a few poop bags, too.
So walk, carpool, take public transportation, Uber, or ride your bike. If you do ride your bike be prepared to be treated like environmental royalty as they provide a bike valet.
Admission: Free