International Beer Festival

This weekend we plan to check out the 16th annual International Beer Festival at Expo Gardens in Peoria.
Proceeds from this event benefit local charities.
More than 300 beers will be available to sample via 4 ounce servings. Sampled a real stinker? Dump it in one of the plastic buckets and move on to the next contender.
The festival runs Friday, April 11 from 6-10 p.m. with admission set at $20 on that night and Saturday, April 12 from 1-9 p.m. with $12 advance admission, $15 at the door.
Once you get inside, each beer sample costs 50¢ with a few priced at $1. The first 4,500 guests receive a free commemorative sampling beer glass.
Friday night's sampling is billed as a "smaller, quieter, more relaxing beer sampling", with a limited number of tickets being sold.
The beer fest seems to get larger and crazier every year. It almost seems like they could use a larger venue.
Let's hope StfRon samples some beer this year and doesn't just park himself in front of a pilsener booth and drink the same thing the whole time.
To each his own, though. I'm sure he doesn't think much of my fruity beer sampling each year...

Mmm...donuts!

I just saw that next weekend is Rescue 33 Donut Days in Chillicothe.
I remember this event fondly from my childhood. Mom would always bring home a box or two of the cake donuts, which would always include one covered with rainbow sprinkles. Really, it was about the only time of year I ate donuts.
When I got my first job in Chillicothe, one of my co-workers was on the volunteer squad at Rescue 33, and would ask for time off each year to go make the donuts.
2008's Event will run March 14th, 15th and 16th.
The donuts are $4 a dozen and come with either vanilla icing, chocolate icing, cinnamon & sugar, powdered sugar, plain or sprinkles.
During the three day event Rescue 33 members, families and friends make the donuts at the Rescue 33 garage. Donuts are available at local grocery stores and gas stations and the ambulance garage at 1217 Santa Fe Ave. in Chillicothe. Deliveries are also available to the immediate area.
Donut Days is one of main ways Rescue 33 raises funds for their volunteer ambulance service.

Bark in the Park

The weather forecast for Sunday, October 14 looks great so far, so I think we are on track to hit Bark in the Park for Peoria's Humane Society at the Peoria Riverfront.
Our dog has $270 worth of professionally polished pearly whites to show off. Who knows, it may have been a rip off, but the vet recommended it, she doesn't have dog breath anymore, and her teeth are very white. She's a pretty girl, yes she is!
The event will start at 11 a.m. this year, and dog lovers and dogs are welcome to join in the fun. Activities include a walk ($25 registration per dog), paw painting, obedience demos, photos, raffles, food vendors, a mutt show and more.
This year, you can raise pledges and receive prices for each fundraising level attained, like collars, leashes, shirts and even iPods. Several people have posted pledge pages on the Humane Society's web site.
Visit http://www.peoriahs.org for more info.

International Beer Festival

Here's a plug for the 15th annual International Beer Festival, held at Exposition Gardens in Peoria.
This year, the fest will be April 20-21, and funds will benefit the Peoria Art Guild and Peoria Jaycees.
April 20, you can catch a great local band, the Bogside Zukes, while sampling lots of different kinds of beer.
Catch the details at http://www.jaycees.com/projects/ibf/ibf2007.htm