MIDDLEBURY — As summer winds on, the buzz continues to grow around the Midd Summer Festival, scheduled for Aug. 6 in the Marble Works in Middlebury.
Organizers say more than 40 Vermont beer, wine, cider, cheese and producers of other goods have signed on for the festival, which will take place from 3 to 7 p.m., rain or shine, and will feature live music.
“We wanted to keep it with Vermont producers,” said Bryan Phelps, who owns Noonie Deli and is a board member for the Better Middlebury Partnership (BMP), which is organizing the event. “We got a great response.”
Phelps said ticket sales are already heating up for the festival, with several hundred already purchased. BMP is hoping the event will draw 2,000 people. Tickets — which include tokens for beverage samples — are on sale at a number of businesses around Middlebury and online at middsummerfestival.com. The cost for adults is $20, while tickets for people under 21 and designated drivers are $5.
Phelps said when he joined the board last year, BMP was looking for a new event to supplement its other three annual events — Spooktacular, A Very Merry Middlebury, and the Winter Carnival and Chili Fest. He suggested a festival to highlight Vermont products, an event to be modeled after beer festivals around the state but incorporating other producers as well.
A number of Addison County producers will be featured in the Marble Works. Otter Creek Brewery and Wolaver’s Organic Ales will be there, as well as Woodchuck Cider, Lincoln Peak Vineyard, Scholten Family Farm, Twig Farm, American Flatbread, Aqua Vitea and Vermont Coffee Co.
“My hope is that people are getting excited about it,” said Phelps. “We’ve put a lot of planning into it.”
With the entrance fee, attendees will receive 12 tokens to be used for drinks. Each token will be good for 3 ounces of beer or 2 ounces of wine. Food producers will be handing out samples.
Split Tongue Crow, based in Rutland, and the Joshua Panda Band, based in Burlington, will be providing live music for the event. Phelps said he expects bands he called up-and-coming will put on a great show.
“We hope that we can help them expand their ever-growing listener base throughout Vermont and beyond,” he said.
Proceeds from the event will be split among the Better Middlebury Partnership, Vermont Food Bank and the Addison County Firefighters Association.
Reporter Andrea Suozzo is at [email protected].