Written by Brenda Stolyar
2015 Hop Sauce Festival: Beers, Hot Sauce, and Live Music
On Saturday May 30th craft beer, hot sauce, and music will reunite for the second annual Hop Sauce Festival. The festival take place at 9th Street and Taylor Avenue in Beach Haven (Long Beach Island), NJ. The festival is presented by Jetty Rock Foundation, Spice It Up, and Shore Point Distribution.
The event will benefit the Jetty Rock Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps improve communities in terms of its environment and the arts. Last year, Jetty Rock was able to create new Jetty Tech Lab in each of the Long Beach Island Elementary Schools with 50 new iPads as well as Chromebook laptops for Beach Haven Elementary.
Just in time to match the rising summer temperatures, Hop Sauce will give attendees the opportunity to taste test hot sauces from across the tri-state area that vary in levels of heat, and are made from a unique combination of ingredients. The festival assures those with even the lowest tolerance for spicy, they’ll find you the perfect combination suitable for any meal.
A few hot sauce brands showcased at the festival will include Hanksauce, Born to Hula, High River Sauces, and Heartbreaking Dawns. Each brand manages puts their own twist on the original classic hot sauce in different forms, including Voodoo Chili Sauces and Salsa and Lord Darnley’s Blood Mary Mix.
To wash down the savory flavors throughout the day, the event will have over 20 craft beers to sample if you’re of legal age. The list includes the familiar choices: Samuel Adams, Blue Moon and Brooklyn Brewery but will also feature a tent for independent breweries such as Hoboken’s 902 Brewing Company and Wallingford Pennsylvania’s Ship Bottom Brewery.
As for music, Hop Sauce pieced together a lineup with notable bands who are currently on the verge of breaking out into the mainstream stardom. JukeBox the Ghost, who will be performing later in the day, could be recognized from their performance on Conan or snagging a spot on Billboard’s Alternative New Artist chart.
From the pop-synth sound of Leisure Cruise, the dream pop of Savoir Adore, the traditional folk of Bobcat Rob Arementi or the rock vibes from Stone Cold Fox, the day will be filled with upbeat acts from morning to night to keep the momentum going.
The event comes prepared to feed a large crowd by gathering local vendors such as The Chicken or The Egg, Living On The Veg and Tucker’s Tavern who have whipped up a menu that will conveniently compliment those beers and distinct hot sauces.
Whether you’re in the mood for the all American experience with cheesesteak sliders and wings, or decide to go the seafood route with fish tacos and smoke dipped tuna, Hop Sauce will be offering all types of options for all types of tastebuds
Tickets for Hop Sauce Festival are $10 for general admission while children 12 and under are allowed in for free. For those 21 and over only, a craft beer sampling bracelet is available for $40.
All proceeds from the event will benefit the Jetty Rock Foundation. For more ticket info, click here.
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