Mudhook's Summer Party: 12 tons of sand, 3 bands, 2 days
If you go
What: Mudhook Brewing Co.'s third annual Summer Beach Party Weekend
When: Friday, Aug. 21 and Saturday, Aug. 22
Where: Mudhook Brewing Co. , 34 N. Cherry Lane, York.
Cost: Free
Mudhook Brewing Co.'s annual Summer Beach Party Weekend in downtown York can really be boiled down to two parts: sand and music.
Like playing Billy Joel's "Piano Man" at 9 p.m. every Friday and Saturday, for Mudhook Brewing Co. co-owner Jeff Lau, the event goes back to another one of the oft-cited goals of his business: For people to be happy when they leave.
"It just seems to make people happier, gives them one more reason to smile," he said. "And not everyone can get to the beach — so we bring the beach to them."
The Summer Beach Party Weekend at Mudhook Brewing Co., behind Central Market House, returns for the third year on Friday and Saturday. The event is free, and it will be put on rain or shine.
Along with, yes, 12 tons of sand and three live music acts, this year's event includes special beer cocktails as well as desserts. One of the cocktails is the fuzzy navel — a mix of the company's Peach Wheat beer and orange juice — and Mudhook Brewing Co. will have a peach cobbler as well.
The idea for the event came about several years ago, Lau said.
He would meet every other week with people including his wife — another co-owner of the business — as well as other family members. They were "spit balling" when someone mentioned hosting a beach party, which sounded like a "crazy idea" to him.
People are always looking for something extra to do, and it doesn't take much to have a good time, he said.
"Getting rid of 12 tons of sand is really hard," he said. "But it's worth it."
To get the sand delivered, it costs $500, Lau said. In years past, the sand has gone to York for beach volleyball, as well as to his son's greenhouse, after the beach party.
For Standard Concrete, on North Sherman Street near Interstate 83 in Spring Garden Township, the process is actually fairly simple.
David Myers, the purchasing agent for Standard Concrete, said the company can deliver up to 22 tons of sand. The business has scales that can weigh the sand, and, pretty much, the company will send a truck over to dump it out.
Myers said that one ton of sand usually covers 100 square feet, being two inches deep.
Live music at the event starts at 8 p.m. Friday, with the band Great Big House.
Lineup
Friday:
Great Big House (8-11 p.m.)
Hometown: Philadelphia
Website: greatbighouse.us
Saturday:
JCFisher (5-7 p.m.)
Hometown: York
Website: www.facebook.com/pages/JC-Fisher-Band/166565061849
The Akt (8-11 p.m.)
Hometown: York
Website: theakt.com