Redwood Newsmakers is being brought to you by your local U.S. cellular stores built for us.
In 2004, a think tank of business minds in Fortuna kicked around ideas for a new summertime festival to attract visitors to the friendly city. American craft breweries were coming into their own in the domestic beer market. Local breweries were crafting unique microbrews left and right, and the movers and shakers in Fortuna jumped on it. That’s when Hops and Humboldt was born.
SETH CROSSWHITE-HOPS IN HUMBOLDT: So about 20 years ago, the Fortuna Business Improvement District wanted to bring new events to Fortuna. So they offered a $1,000 grant to create a new event and that’s kind of how I was born. And we started brainstorming for about two years. With the help of a local brewery. we came up with the idea of a beer festival, and it just kind of evolved from there.So, o our first year was over in the main park by the playground here at Rohner Park. at best, we had maybe ten beers total. and it consisted of all over local breweries here in Humboldt County. And over the years, it’s evolved from multiple brewers locally to now it’s across the country to this year we have approximately 40 breweries that are going to be here from all across the country,” Says Seth Crosswhite of Hops in Humboldt.
Hops and Humboldt is a registered 5013C nonprofit corporation. Throughout the year, this organization grants proceeds from the beer festival to a variety of Humboldt County organizations that fall within five categories schools, youth activities, senior programs, municipal programs, and drug and alcohol prevention.
“A majority of our profits we make from this event go back into the community, whether it’s given schools, grants, for equipment, computers, things of that nature. Since 2017, we’ve given over $27,000 in college scholarships to graduating seniors and college students.So we try to get back as much as we can to the community from this event,” Crosswhite says.
And there’s much more than just beer tasting and hobnobbing with friends.
“Yeah, we’ll have merchandise vendors. We’re going to have all kinds of food vendors, available for purchase here. Yeah, there’ll be, free water for people. you can get purchase other drinks from food vendors as well if you’re not a drinker. we have designated driver tickets, a few if you’re just going to drive for somebody so they can drink and have a good time and get home safely.Then you can purchase a ticket for that as well. we’re going to have some games you can participate in. We have a game tent. we’re also gonna have some stage games, all kinds of different games we can try out and get people involved and have a good time. We’re going to have three bands this year.They’re going to play all throughout the day. Here in Fortuna, we work with the Fortuna Transit buses. and there’s different stops around the city for ten that people can go park in those different areas and catch the bus. We’re also working with Redwood Transit Authority. for buses from Arcata to McKinleyville to Eureka with pick up spots there.They’ll bring you here to the park, drop you off, and then they’ll make rounds all throughout the day, and they’ll pick you back up and take you back home to where your car is, so you don’t have to worry about driving. We don’t want to be driving drunk or making bad decisions. So, yeah, we have all kinds of options for people to drive safely,” he says.
The 20th anniversary HOPS in Humboldt is this Saturday in Fortuna. Tickets are still available at all local breweries and online at HopsInHumboldt.comIt’s for ages 21 and over. No exceptions. The taps and food vendors open at 1 p.m. and close at 5pm.
“Come out. Have a good time. Get your tickets. Be responsible. Make good decisions. But biggest of all. Have a good time and celebrate 20 years with us,” says Crosswhite.
