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Suds & Songs highlights brews and music this weekend in Red Lion


If you go

What: The Suds and Songs Festival

Where: Vulcan Park, 121 Vulcan Road, Red Lion

When: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 6

Admission: Free

Bands scheduled to perform: The Front Porch Rockers, The Wild Hymns, Dr. Slothclaw, Hexbelt, the A.D. Chandler Band and The Dirty Devilles Trio.

Those who purchase beer tokens will receive a commemorative stein.

For more information, visit facebook.com/rlhappenings .

Talk about a welcome.

When Black Cap Brewing opened in Red Lion late last year in the former borough post office, it didn't take long to develop a clientele. And now, the town is doing even more to make Black Cap feel welcome — starting up a beer and music festival to help promote the local brand, along with other brewers in the area.

"When we found out they were doing, we were excited," said Jim Waller, co-owner of Black Cap. "Being brand new to town, it's a great way to get into the community."

Waller said, "When we opened up, our goal was to create a community pub and be a part of the community. This sounds like a great way to do that."

The inaugural Suds and Songs Festival at Vulcan Park came about when a member of the borough council brought it up, thinking it would be a good project for the borough redevelopment committee. The committee's Kristen Sweitzer help organize it and enlisted the help of Chad Ward, proprietor of The Guitar Spot in Red Lion, to recruit musical acts.

"Red Lion's never done anything like this before," Sweitzer said.

It makes a lot of sense, she said. The community gets to welcome and promote one of its hometown businesses, along with York Township's Wyndridge Farm, and provide a venue for local musicians to play.

And, Sweitzer said, "We Germans do like our beer."

Ward recruited a lengthy list of local bands, including Dr. Slothclaw, Hexbelt and The Wild Hymns.

"We have a real beer culture and music culture in Red Lion," Ward said.

The festival will be different in some ways to other micro-brew fests. There is no admission charge. And instead of purchasing small samples of the brewers' art, patrons will be able to buy a stein and enjoy full draughts. The music stage and beer garden will be separated, making it possible for the beer event to maintain some family friendliness.

Proceeds from the event benefit the Indian Steps Museum. Ward serves on the board of the museum.

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