POTTSVILLE, Pa. — Pottsville's newest brewery is hosting the 7th annual Schuylkill County Brew Fest. Pilger Ruh is putting on the event, running things from their newly finished microbrewery in the downtown. The festival moved from Frackville to Pottsville in 2019.
"I loved Frackville; it was great," said David Cantwell, organizer. "But the amount of people and the amount of support that we got in Pottsville was amazing."
That year, hundreds filled the streets for food, snacks, crafts, and brews.
The 2020 edition was canceled because of the pandemic, so this year's festival is all the more meaningful.
"We have breweries from states all over the place," Cantwell said. "They're coming from Maryland; I think there's one from New York. It's really cool. You get a chance, come downtown and sample 25, 30 breweries that you might never have met before."
This weekend, Centre Street in Pottsville will fill up with tents and people for the brew fest. The crowds mean more business for downtown restaurants.
The Crimson House is preparing for the event already. Staff set up tables and stools outside, anticipating an influx of customers. Owner John Challenger said the restaurant is serving up food that fits.
"We're going to sell brats and sauerkraut because it's going to tie in with all the brew," Challenger said.
After a difficult year for his restaurant, Challenger said it's a joy to see people filling the seats again.
"The city of Pottsville has been waiting for this," Challenger said. "I expect the streets are going to be bursting with people."
"We're bringing probably 1,000 people downtown, and all the restaurants, all the businesses are going to benefit from bringing everything down here for downtown Pottsville," Cantwell added.
The first pour at Schuylkill County Brew Fest is Saturday at 2 p.m.
General admission tickets are $40.