Chattanooga, TN – This year marks the 18th Annual Southern Brewers Festival, presented by Big River Grille & Brewing Works, to be held in downtown Chattanooga on Saturday, August 25, from 2pm to Midnight. For the seventh consecutive year, all festival proceeds will benefit Chattanooga’s Kids on the Block (CKOB). 
This year the festival will feature over 30 of the Southeast’s most notable microbreweries and will showcase over 75 premium, handcrafted ales and lagers on Riverfront Parkway. In addition to the vast selection of beer, musical entertainment will include five live national and regional bands, all taking the stage in front of the Tennessee River.
Advance General Admission tickets can be purchased for $20 each online at www.southernbrewersfestival.org and through the Southern Brewers Festival Facebook page. Prices increase at the gate to $25. All General Admission tickets include a commemorative mug and one token towards the purchase of a beer. This year’s festival will again feature the popular “Party on the Pier.” A limited number of “Party on the Pier” tickets will be available in advance through August 12 for $85 per individual and $150 per couple. These VIP tickets include a private party on the Chattanooga Pier, a commemorative mug, one token towards the purchase of a microbrewery beer, complimentary beer and food provided by Big River Grille & Brewing Works and preferred seating for the evening’s live entertainment. Ticket sales events will also be held at both Chattanooga Big River locations in August. Please contact Big River Downtown Chattanooga and Big River Hamilton Place for details.
CKOB will receive the net profit from this one-day event to assist in its operating budget. Over the past six years, Big River Grille & Brewing Works has presented donations to CKOB from the festival totaling $650,000 to assist in their efforts in educating children in our region.
For the past 32 years, CKOB has featured life-size puppets designed to teach children and adults about social concerns 
and differences in a non-threatening manner, giving them skills to stay safe and healthy. The programs are free of charge to schools in 14 counties in Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia through funding from United Way, Chattanooga Area Brain Injury Association, Sertoma Club, 1st & 10 Foundation, Wal-Mart, Tennessee Donor Services, CVS Caremark, BASF, Civitan Club, and Kiwanis Club among others, as well as individual donors and fundraising events such as the Southern Brewers Festival.
Since 1993, Big River Grille & Brewing Works has delighted the Chattanooga area with fresh, handcrafted beer and premium, made-from-scratch regional cuisine. Committed to using only the freshest and finest ingredients, Big River showcases a passion for food with seasonal menus, daily specials and frequent changes to the regular menu. Handcrafted and brewed to perfection, Big River goes to great lengths in serving each guest the freshest beer possible. This promise to serving nothing but the finest and freshest beer possible has led to numerous awards.
For more information on the 18th Annual Southern Brewers Festival, visit www.southernbrewersfestival.org, www.kidsontheblock.net or call the CKOB office at 423-757-5259.
The Quad will be sending our traveling photojournalist , Dave Reasons to give us a full report on this amazing event.
