ROCKINGHAM — Eighteen Tar Heel breweries are on tap to pour their product Saturday for Hoptoberfest.
The annual craft beer and chicken wing festival, organized by the Richmond County Chamber of Commerce, is in its sixth year. This would be the seventh, but the 2020 event was canceled due to government regulations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hoptoberfest returns to Rockingham Dragway for the second time, as the 2019 event was held there.
That year, Hoptoberfest was originally planned to be hosted at Rockingham Speedway, as the event had grown beyond the bounds of the Richmond Plaza parking lot. However, due to “unforeseen circumstances,” it was moved across U.S. 1 to the dragway.
This year’s beer vendors are from across the state, from the mountains to the coast, including nearby Southern Pines Brewing Company. The others are :
- Asheville – Wicked Weed Brewing, Highland Brewing, New Belgium Brewing Company*
- Charlotte – Sycamore Brewing, NoDa Brewing Company
- Chapel Hill – Carolina Brewery, Gizmo Brew Works
- Fayetteville – Gaston Brewing Company, Mash House Brewing Company
- Fuquay-Varina – Aviator Brewing Company
- Hope Mills – Dirtbag Ales
- Kinston – Mother Earth Brewing, Sercy Spiked Seltzer
- Salisbury – New Sarum Brewing
- Whitsett – Red Oak Brewing
- Wilmington – TRU Colors Brewing
- Winston-Salem – Foothills Brewing
(*New Belgium is based out of Fort Collins, Colorado, but has a secondary “main” location in Asheville.)
Locklear Winery and Vineyard of Maxton and The Crafted Cork Co. of Waxhaw will also be at Hoptoberfest.
According to the Brewers Association, state craft beer manufacturers have increased sixfold in the past decade from 59 in 2011 to 359 last year and North Carolina ranks ninth in the nation for number of breweries.
North Carolina also ranks eighth in craft beer production with more than 912,000 barrels.
Chamber President Emily Tucker told the RO Tuesday that 13 teams have signed up for the wing competition, including the 2019 second-place and people’s choice winners from HCI Fire and Restoration, as well as teams from local manufacturers Plastek and American Woodmark.
Attendees will not only be able to vote for their favorite wings, but also their favorite beer in the Best of the Brew contest, Tucker said earlier this year, adding that all voting this year will be electronic.
The Monterio Experience, sponsored by HCI, Drop-A-Box and Guardian Roofing will be playing a mix of musical genres for the crowd. The band previously performed at a benefit for the Humane Society of Richmond County.
Double Vision again will host the official Hoptoberfest afterparty later that evening with country singer Justin Anderson and his band hitting the stage at 10 p.m.
Tucker said about 1,100 tickets have been sold and there will be some available at the gate, which opens at 3 p.m.
An hour before that, the Richmond County Economic Development Corporation will start drawing winners for the second annual Raffle at the Rock, also on the dragway grounds.
Economic Developer Martie Butler said Tuesday that anyone who has already purchased a $100 raffle ticket will be admitted, and tickets will also be sold at the gate.
Two early bird prizes have already been given out.
The 25 remaining prizes include 5 rifles of different models, a shotgun, a Polaris Sportsman, a John Deere Gator and a John Deere zero-turn mower. Several cash prizes of $500 and $1,000 are also up for grabs.
Last year’s event was streamed online due to COVID-19 mass gathering restrictions.
Proceeds from the raffle go toward the Richmond County Economic Development Corporation “to spur growth and development in Richmond County.”
To purchase tickets, call 910-997-8190 or visit the Economic Development website. Tickets are also available at the following locations:
- Richmond County Administration Building
- Sport Cycles
- Southeast farm Equipment, Laurinburg
- Village Pawn & Gun, Wadesboro
- Johnny O’s Awards, Aberdeen
Entry to the Hoptoberfest and Raffle at the Rock requires a separate ticket for each.
