Asheville Tourists announce new beer festival for summer already filling up with brew fests

Just saw this press release, and I'm intrigued. Looks like it's shaping up to be the Summer of Beer in Asheville this year.

The Asheville Tourists will host its first ever "Baseball and Beers" festival on Aug. 22 at historic McCormick Field. That event comes about two months after the Orange Peel/Mountain Xpress celebration of Asheville as Beer City USA, set for June 26, and one month before the ever-popular Brewgrass beer festival, which is already a sold out event. 

Sounds like fun. Here's the press release:

Having made Thirsty Thursday part of minorleague baseball's lexicon for nearly three decades, the Asheville Tourists will host the first-annual "Baseball and Beers" festival, scheduled for Saturday, August 22, from 4-8 p.m. at McCormick Field.

The event is being sponsored by the Asheville Brews Cruise and Wild Wing Café, with more than 30 vendors featuring hand-crafted beers from throughout the Southeast providing their products at the ballpark. A variety of foods will be available for purchase at the event, while four bands will perform on home plate throughout the evening.

Tickets for "Baseball and Beers" go on sale at the McCormick Field box office as well as Ticketmaster outlets on Saturday, June 6, at 10 a.m. Prices are $20 for a ticket and a commemorative beer mug and $35 for a ticket, commemorative beer mug and t-shirt and a light meal consisting of a sandwich, chips and a non-alcoholic drink. There will also be 100 VIP tickets sold at $40 each, which includes a complete meal in the Asheville Citizen-Times Clubhouse Suite in addition to the ticket, mug and t-shirt, and $10 designated driver tickets for those opting not to the sample the beers. Commemorative t-shirts will be on sale for $15 each. Those attending "Baseball and Beers" must be 21 years of age.

The Tourists will not play a game at McCormick Field on the day of the event, although everyone purchasing a festival ticket will also receive a general admission baseball ticket, good for any game (excluding July 4-5) during the 2009 season.

"We're envisioning this event as Thirsty Thursday meets the beer festival," said Mike Bauer, executive director of Palace Baseball. "Asheville has a reputation for hosting first-class festivals and being the top craft-beer town along the East Coast with eight breweries. We have done a lot of research and planning in order to live up to the high standards that have been established throughout the city."

Ticket purchasers along with breweries and vendors wishing to participate or needing additional information should contact the Tourists front office at (828) 258-0428.