CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – The success of the inaugural Sip & Stroll in November means another round is on tap for late March.
From 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 27, visitors to downtown Chambersburg can meander along the streets and stop in to some of the businesses, where beers brewed in Franklin County, Pa., will be available for sampling by those 21 and older.
Among those opening their doors to host beer vendors and shoppers are The Good Life Apothecary, YP Jewelers, Boost Mobile, Beam Graphix Custom Print Co. and Nerdvana Outpost. Businesses offering the pours include GearHouse Brewing Co. of Chambersburg; and Rough Edges Brewing and 633 Brewing of Waynesboro, Pa.
Downtown Chambersburg Inc. is again hosting the event, since the first one was such a hit. The presenting sponsor is RE/MAX 1st Advantage -The Stacy Mellott Group.
“It was fun,” said DCI President Sam Thrush. “It was a great fundraiser. It introduced people to new businesses, new beverages.”
Carlos Perez wanted to be involved in the shopping/sampling event after making some sales and gaining new customers from the Nov. 14 event.
“It was great,” said Perez, owner of YP Jewelers at 133 S. Main St. in downtown Chambersburg. “Overall, we got exposure,” plus hundreds of visitors.
The business named for his daughters, Yamaris and Penelope, sells diamonds; gold and silver; watches and replacement batteries; and perfumes. It also does repairs. International cellphones are part of the inventory, too, an extension of his other business, CPA Wireless – Boost Mobile, which is across the street at 170 S. Main St.
At the inaugural Sip & Stroll, Perez had a circular walking area in his jewelry store for people to browse and wait in line for samples from Maxie’s Brew House LLC of Shippensburg, Pa. He said the event is great for people who want to walk, shop and sample locally made brews in a safe, clean downtown environment.
Also returning in March is Rough Edges Brewing. Casey Phebus, who owns the microbrewery with her husband, Wesley, said they won’t know until closer to the event exactly what they will bring with them, but they brew India Pale Ales, stouts, porters, sours and other types of ales. The Phebuses recently began canning and distributing their beers throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland.
“We love participating in these events throughout the county so we can introduce our craft to more people who may not have had the chance to visit us yet,” Casey Phebus said. “It helps to expand our market and additionally allow us to get feedback by being face-to-face with new and existing consumers.”
In order to follow COVID-19 social-distancing guidelines, tickets will be issued for two waves of visitors – from 1 to 4 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.
Tickets cost $30 for general admission, $10 for designated drivers and include soft pretzel bites from Sweet Rollers. They go on sale Friday, Feb. 19,, at www.downtownchambersburgpa.com/sip-and-stroll. No refunds will be offered after March 20.
All proceeds from the event support the mission of DCI to drive economic development through business recruitment and retention, and offer programs that make a positive impact on the downtown.
There will be a check-in table on the square near the Chambersburg Heritage Center, at which those who bought tickets must present their government-issued IDs to receive wristbands to imbibe. To help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Sip & Stroll participants must come with a mask, which they also have to show at the check-in table. Masks must be worn when people are within 6 feet of others outside their family unit and when they are inside and not consuming beverages.
Alcoholic beverages must be consumed indoors; those who drink them outside will be cited.
Participants who don’t attend with someone pledging to stay sober are encouraged to seek rides from local taxi drivers, Uber or Lyft.
If Mother Nature doles out a major storm on March 27, Sip & Stroll will be moved to Saturday, April 3. Thrush also scheduled similar events for Saturdays, May 8 and Nov. 6.
To become a sponsor, contact Thrush at 717-264-7101, ext. 204, or send an email to [email protected].
For more information, go to www.facebook.com/events/3736939973018529 or www.downtowncburg.com.
