Wellington Brewfest Gives Back more than $14k to Local Nonprofit

Annie Lindgren
North Forty News

What happens when two brewery owners, a liquor store owner, a knitwear business owner, and a creative agency owner get together to plan a Brewfest? You end up with an awesome event that raises a whole lot of money for a local nonprofit. 2021 Wellington Brewfest was a huge success!

“When my colleagues and I initially started planning this year’s Wellington Brewfest – our third event in 4 years – we had hopes of raising between $8,000 and $10,000 for the Wellington Main Street program. We knocked it out of the park! We are SO EXCITED to be giving back more than $14,000 to this wonderful Wellington nonprofit,” shares Megan Larson, owner of M Rock Creative and chair of the committee.

The Wellington Main Streets Program is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization that develops, promotes, and enhances the downtown area. Its program area includes the historic downtown area, covering Cleveland Avenue and the neighborhoods on either side, including the Leeper Center and library. The program engages in various projects, from grant acquisition to events, to downtown beautification and safety projects. In addition, it promotes Wellington and its businesses, encouraging folks to visit and shop locally. For more information on what they do, visit wellingtonmainstreet.org.

What is the money going towards, you ask? The $14,000 will go a long way toward supporting both a downtown sign grant program and an Eagle Scout project at Wellington Public library.

Half of the proceeds go into a fund for the Exterior Sign and Awning Grant administered through the Wellington Main Street Program. This grant will be a 50/50 match grant up to $1,000 per project to help purchase new signs and awnings for downtown businesses. The Main Street Program is working with the town of Wellington on a new sign code for downtown. Applications will open this fall.

The other half of the proceeds will support a Xeriscaping Memorial Project in front of the Wellington Public Library to honor the late Byron White, Supreme Court Justice from Wellington. This is an Eagle Scout Troop 96 project organized by 14yr old Carter Larsen, son of Blake and Kareen Larsen. The project is also supported with funds through the Friends of the Library. Stay tuned for more information on ways to support this project.

“The Wellington Brewfest team is extraordinary. The Main Street Program is lucky to have such amazing supporters and community partners that help fund our downtown projects. The success of this event will allow us to do even more to support our small business community and honor our unique history,” shares Kallie Cooper, Executive Director of Wellington Main Street Program.

Wellington Brewfest wouldn’t be what it is without an awesome team of ladies running the show: Megan Larson (M Rock Creative), Annie Thomas (Cantina Liquors), Tara Neckel (Old Colorado Brewing Company), Sarah Braun (SarahB In Stitches), and Mary Gray (Soul Squared Brewing Company).

Be sure to mark your calendars for June 4 for the 2022 Wellington Brewfest!

The committee had so many people to thank for this year’s Wellington Brewfest, so here it goes:

THANK YOU to our sponsors: Next Energy Solar, Tabby Road Animal Hospital, Ken Schmidt (Gateway Mortgage), Align Medical Center, Business Card Factory of Colorado, Sun Kissed Tans, Law Office of Joshua K Westmoreland, Wellington Grill, Forevergreen Farm Colorado, L&C Solutions, The Kinzli Team at REMAX Alliance, Vessey Funeral Service, Note CBD, Trim Salon and Boutique, Thistle, Owl Canyon Coffee, Waxi Taxi and Company, and American Grains.

THANK YOU to our volunteers: Overland Sertoma, Nic Redavid, Anita Hardy, Whitney Meisner, Erin Jerome, Leah Selvage, Chelsea Zimmerman, and Annie Lindgren.

THANK YOU to everybody who bought tickets and attended. We hope you had the best time!

THANK YOU to Card My Yard Wellington for your donation of the amazing welcome display.

THANK YOU to our beneficiary, Wellington Colorado Main Street, for being a wonderful partner.

THANK YOU to Sunshine Ink for taking photos and helping wherever needed.

THANK YOU to our breweries: Accomplice Beer Company, Grimm Brothers Brewhouse, Maxline Brewing, Rally King Brewing, Soul Squared Brewing Company, Sparge Brewing, Timnath Beerwerks, and Verboten Brewing. We missed you Zwei Brewing!

THANK YOU to Old Colorado Brewing Company for providing water and keeping our guests hydrated.

THANK YOU to Cantina Liquor for providing the ice.

THANK YOU to Leave It To Cleaver for feeding everybody.

THANK YOU to The Seers for entertaining the crowd.

THANK YOU to the Town of Wellington, Colorado for the fence and overall support.

THANK YOU to the Wellington Fire Protection District and Larimer County Sheriff’s Office for keeping everybody safe.