Valpo Brewfest

So much beer, so little time.

The new park downtown Valpo

Andy and Howard

A bored me...

And a very happy buzzed Andy.

There were in total over 125 different brews from all of the different brewers,

both local and a few national "microbrews", hence no big boys of beer here.

(Although Goose Island was bought out by a gigantic brewery they still got to come.)

I did not get a single drop. Not one, not any at all.

For I played the DD. Yes the designated driver.

I did receive unlimited root beer (that was VERY tasty and from WI for the record).

And a commemorative pint glass, to drink said root beer, and a free shirt.

I also ran into a few of my brothers friends and my friend Emily's little brother who I have not seen in almost 15 years. He was 10 when we graduated from high school.

I would have rather received a coupon for a few dollars of free food instead of the shirt.

Towards the end of the 4 hours of beer drinking by everyone else,

except a handful of other DD that I saw,

I was quite bored.

And it was really funny to hear a large crowd "ohhhh" when

someone dropped a glass and broke it.

The four food vendors were all on one side of the event,

which made it fun trying to find your group while I went to get a piece of pizza.

Stay right here. Do not move. I will be right back.

At least there was plenty of port a potties.

Although the park is a "Smoke Free Park" it did not stay that way for very long at all.

My suggestion even though I am positive no one cares:

To put those smokers pole station things (or something similar) around the outside of the park just for the event. Have signs pointing to them AND mark them on the map of the event.

Then maybe there would be less clean up of butts from cigarettes and cigars....

In conclusion~

Will I attend next year? : Hopefully

Do they need more food? : Definitely

Will we get more people to go with us? : YES! My van can hold 6 other people!

YMCA

Alright, so we are new members to the Y in Valpo. The building is nice, staff are pleasant, parking is plentiful. That being said the place is a zoo after 2:30 p.m. There is not enough room in the cardio area and the Family locker room is absolutely nuts. We signed up to do the parent / child swim class which was fun. Justin, the instructor, was very nice and fun with the kids. The family locker room is made up of a bunch of individual bathrooms with showers, all tiled floors, and lockers for stuff in the hallway. The doors have locks but no outer sign that a room is in use. Very frustrating! Either you are walking in on someone because they didn't lock the door or once you are in one, other people keep knocking or trying the door. It would have made way more sense for someone to look at the lock on a port a potty and take notes. I have tried to get Max used to being around other babies and kids so putting him in the child watch area has not been too bad. He seems to enjoy playing with toys as long as no other kid bonks him on the head. Anyway, I hope to enjoy going to the Y as long as it is before all of the little middle and high schoolers get there.