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FAIRMONT-- Fairmont Rotary Club is putting on a Beats and Brews Bash from 4 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 16. It will be held at Citizen's Park on Downtown Plaza.
In 2018 the first Bourbon, Brew and BBQ was sponsored by the Adventure Playground committee and served as a fundraiser for the project. In 2019, Rotary Club took reins of the event but still gave proceeds to the Adventure Playground committee.
While the event wasn't held in 2020 due to Covid, for the last two years it's gone by the name of Brews and BBQ. Rotary Club president, Erica Berhow, explained why they made a slight change this year.
"We had done barbecue as our food in the past and this year we have Lola's food truck out of New Ulm going. We didn't want to limit ourselves just to barbecue because of the name," Berhow said.
As for the beats, a live band based out of Iowa, BIRDCHILD, will be playing. Berhow said the band is fairly popular and was recommended to the group for the event.
Fairmont Brewing Company will have three different beers available for the event and Harmony Spirits will have two spirits which they'll make signature drinks out of.
While the name of the event may have changed, the purpose has not. Each year it has served as a fundraiser for a different Rotary project and this year is no different.
"We have a bike project we want to kick off. We're looking to partner with the Bike Shop in Fairmont to get bikes for community members, ideally kids," Berhow said.
She said these would go to children that cannot access bikes due to financial reasons or other.
In addition to the Beats and Brews Bash, Rotary Clubs holds a few other annual fundraising events, including a book drive, which is held in the winter at Five Lakes Centre, and a poinsettia sale that has proceeds going to Rotary Club's STRIVE program, which partners local high school seniors with mentors who meet regularly throughout the school year.
"The goal of the program is for those kids to renew in education and raise their GPA. The top three students with the most improved GPA get a scholarship from Rotary," Berhow said.
Tickets for Beats and Brews Bash are on sale now for $15 and can be purchased from any Rotary Club member or at the Fairmont Liquor Store, Pierce Accounting, Fairmont Brewing Company and the Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce. The ticket includes two drink tickets and additional drink tickets will be $5.