Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Wayne Swick provides information about a drink to Tom LaBine of Ontonagon during Saturday’s Keweenaw Brewfest in Houghton.

By GARRETT NEESE

gneese@mininggazette.com

HOUGHTON — After four years away, the Keweenaw Brewfest drew a big crowd as it returned Saturday with a new location and new organizer.

The 11th annual Brewfest, now put on by Houghton Rotary, took place Saturday at the downtown pier in Houghton. The event, run by Keweenaw Community Foundation since its inception, went on hiatus in 2020 due to COVID.

Visitors could choose from 270 different pours; all told, there were about 16,000 ounces on hand, said Rotary member and co-organizer Jack Ham. Shortly after 3 p.m., attendance was up to 1,300.

“It’s really exciting that this turned out to be such a great event for the very first year, and it’ll only get better from here on out,” he said. “We figured out what we did wrong, what things we could have improved on. But man, this really went well.”

After the KCF became an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Upper Peninsula in 2021, Ham approached them to ask if they planned to do Brewfest again. Upon learning they weren’t, he talked to KCF board member Chuck Ouellette and suggested Houghton Rotary take it up.

“I said, ‘Rotary would like to take this over, because we used to do Seafoodfest,'” said Ham, co-organizer of this year’s Brewfest. “He said, ‘Brewfest and Rotary would be a match made in heaven.'”

KCF formally transferred the annual fundraiser off to Houghton Rotary at a ceremony earlier this year. Rotary began planning in January, lining up sponsors and online ticket sales.

Houghton Rotary also started a new nonprofit to help it make an impact in the community. One of the benefactors is Portage Lake District Library; proceeds from this year’s Brewfest will go towards renovation and expansion of the library’s teen area.

“A lot of things in Rotary are youth-focused, so that’s a big deal,” Ham said.

Ham thanked the City of Houghton for its help, including electricity, garbage service and tent set-up.

“It’s off the charts what they did for us, so that was a real win for us,” he said.

In addition to the drinks, they could choose from five food vendors and listen to live music from Rewind.

Ethan Anderson of Hubbell said Brewfest was a good way to try out drinks and get to know what he likes.

“It’s just something to do instead of sitting inside all day,” he said. “It’s nice weather.”

Collin Smallwood of Houghton was enjoying the day and wearing a crown of leaves friends had made for him.

“It’s a great gathering of local people, and a great chance to try some drinks I haven’t had before,” he said. “It’s amazing to see the community gathered in one place and a great chance to try some new drinks I hadn’t had before, plus it’s amazing to see the community gathered in one place down on the water. It’s just overall a good time.”