There’s nothing better than a beautiful day along the waterfront, which you can enjoy at Brews & Wines on the Water 2018, held in conjunction with the Buffalo Niagara Brewers Association, at North Tonawanda’s Gratwick Park (July 28, 2pm). The annual event combines some of the best and brightest bands around today with some of the best locally crafted beer and mead in Western New York.

Brews & Wines on the Water 2018 will allow you the ability to sample over 100 craft beers from all of your local favorites such as 12 Gates, 42 North, Big Ditch, Pressure Drop, Thin Man, Southern Tier, Community Beer Works, Ellicottville Brewing, Hamburg, Rusty Nickel and many, many more. And also for your sampling pleasure, Clarence’s Lilly Belle Meads will be on hand with a pair of their craft meads.

In addition to sampling beers, wines and mead, Brews & Wines on the Water 2018 will feature live performances from national recording artists Lord Huron and Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear. Buffalo’s own Kurt and the Loders will also be taking to the stage. Those performances are included in the festival price, providing the most bang for your buck and one hell of a unique event.

Here’s what breweries (and meaderies) will be on hand as well as what thy will (tentatively) be bringing to pour:

12 Gates Brewing: Hermetic IPA, Cherry Vanilla Wheat
42 North Brewing: Asylum Porter, Island Farmhouse Sour Saison
Big Ditch Brewing: Low Bridge, Hayburner
Brickyard Brewing: White Bronco NEIPA, Ten Pints Pils
Buffalo Brewpub: Nickel City Dark Porter, Passion Fruit Mango Kölsch (collab with 12 Gates)
Buffalo Brewing Company: Cran Raz Wheat, Porter
Community Beer Works: That IPA, The Whale Brown Ale, Rutheford B. Haze
Ellicottville Brewing: Blueberry Wheat Ale, Ellicottville IPA
Eli Fish Brewing: Brewers Wife Blonde Ale, Awry Saison
Five & 20 Brewing: Pale Ale, Uncommon Passion Passion Fruit Radler
Flying Bison Brewing: Bisonberry Kolsch, Belgian White 100
Four Mile Brewing: The Pils Have Eyes, Tropical Wheat
Hamburg Brewing: Hamburg IPA, Two Two Mango
Lilly Belle Meads: Sour Girl Mead, Strawberry Basil Mead
New York Beer Project: Supernatural Sour, Lemon Chillo Shandy, I’ll Hefe Another Hefeweizen, Destination IPA
Pressure Drop Brewing: Strummer Belgina Blonde Ale, Sticky Trees IPA
Resurgence Brewing: Loganberry Wit, Cosmic Truth Session IPA
Rusty Nickel Brewing: Palletizer Pale Ale, Farmhouse Saison
Steelbound Brewery: Subabrew IPA, Kickin Kölsch
Southern Tier Brewing: IPA, Lemon Drop
Westshore Brewing: Akron Junction Cream Ale, All You Need is Shandy
Woodcock Brothers: IPA, Honey Saison

Tickets at GetMyPerks.com. General Admission tickets ($40 presale, $50 at door) includes tasting glass at entry, beer and wine sampling (3-6pm) and live performances from Lord Huron and Madisen Ward & the Mama Bear. VIP Tickets ($75) include early entry at 2pm, tasting glass at entry, VIP commemorative laminate, exclusive access into the VIP Tasting Tent with food from Hanzlian’s Sausage and ten (10) specialty beer samples of your choice, including: Goose Island Brasserie Noir, Founders 2018 KBS, Founders Backwoods Bastard, 42 North Red Army Russian Imperial Stout, Ommegang Double Barrel Dubbel, Hamburg Maybe Next Year, Ballast Point Barrel Aged Victory at Sea, Long Trail Barrel Aged Unearthed and Victory Sour Monkey, access to GA beer and wine sampling from 2-6pm and the live performances. The Artist Experience Ticket ($75) includes everything the VIP Ticket does as well as a photo meet + greet with Lord Huron and Madisen Ward & the Mama Bear.

This event is 21+ and all photo IDs, small bags and purses will be checked at the door by Security. GA doors open at 3pm and sampling ends at 6pm. Cash bar will be available 6-8pm.

Brian Campbell is a co-founder/Brand Manager of the BNBA’s enthusiast arm, Buffalo Beer League, and writes the weekly Buffalo Beer Buzz column. If you have beer news that should be included in the Beer Buzz, Brian can be reached at buffalobeerleague@aol.com, on Twitter (@buffbeerleague), Instagram (@buffalobeerleague), Facebook (@thebuffalobeerleague) and www.buffalobeerleague.com.