Auburn’s annual Hops and Crops beer and music festival returns

By Reporter Staff • September 16, 2022 1:30 am
Auburn’s annual Hops & Crops beer and music festival returns to Mary Olson Farm from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, shaking off the stiffness of its 2-year pandemic induced snooze. Photo courtesy of White River Valley Museum.
Auburn’s annual Hops & Crops beer and music festival returns to Mary Olson Farm from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, shaking off the stiffness of its 2-year pandemic induced snooze. Photo courtesy of White River Valley Museum.

Is this Saturday looking like possible sweater weather?

Hard to think of a better place to show off that new fall fleece than at Hops & Crops, the city of Auburn’s annual beer and music festival that runs noon to 6 p.m. Sept. 17 at Mary Olson Farm.

We mean, 25 brews on tap, four fantastic bands, and great food from Thai U Up, Scooby Dogs, 314 Pie and Legendary Doughnuts.

Not into suds? Three cideries will be pouring too, And you can buy a designated driver admission for only $10 and enjoy the tunes and scenery.

It will be the first time since 2019, months before that beast called COVID brought events like this to a halt that locals will get to kick back at the festival, sip a locally-brewed IPA or two and groove to local bands.

That’s a lot of pent-up fun to miss.

What sets Hops & Crops apart from your rank-and-file festivals in arenas or in parking lots is the setting — the beautiful, historic, rebuilt Mary Olson Farm, snug in a canyon just across the Green River Road from Green River, said Rachael McAlister, museum and farm director for the White River Valley Museum.

“It has to be the most idyllic place to sip an IPA, listen to local music, where you feel like you are completely nestled in this beautiful canyon right beside the Green River. You’re still in the city, but you feel a million miles away from it,” McAlister said. “…All we need at this point is good weather,” McAlister recently told the Reporter.

Anyway, rain schmain. Hops & Crops is a rain-or-shine event for those 21 and older only, and for leashed, well-behaved dogs of all ages and fur types.

Breweries slated are Acorn Brewing, Bad Jimmy’s Brewery, Fort George Brewery Half Lion Brewing Co., Rail Hop’n Brewing Co., Republic of Cider, Scamp Brewing Co. and Wheelie Pop Brewing. Camp chairs and blankets are encouraged, but outside food is discouraged. Firearms and drugs and outside alcohol are prohibited.

And here’s the musical lineup: 1 p.m., Kate Dinsmore; 2:15 p.m., La Fonda; 3:30 pm., Massy Ferguson; and 4:45 p.m., Warren Dunes

All proceeds from this event support the free education program at the Mary Olson Farm, which welcomes in more than 2500 students annually for history and environmental science field trips. Think about that: buy a ticket to Hops & Crops, send a send a student to the farm.

Check it out

Saturday, Sept. 17, from noon to 6 p.m. at Mary Olson Farm ,28728 Green River Road. Sorry, kids, adults 21 and older only.

Details and tickets are available at www.wrvmuseum.org/hopsandcrops. Tickets are $25 at the event. Tickets net the buyer a 5-ounce taster glass and five taster tokens for $10. Designated driver entry (no tastings) will be available at the event.