Lake Wylie Music Fest organizers craft new addition

Lake Wylie Music Fest is crafting a new flavor for fans by teaming up with a local restaurant.

Sweetwater Sports Bar & Grill of Lake Wylie will hold the Craft Beer Extravaganza Sept. 5 at the Red Fez Shrine Club on land in conjunction with the annual music event, which in the past was only accessible by boat at The Cow Cove.

“The Craft Beer Extravaganza is a tasting with a backstage to Lake Wylie Music Fest,” said Jan Pendleton, who has organized the music event for five years with husband John and friends. “Boaters will not be able to dock for the beer tasting, which you do have to pay to go to.”

Music, which remains free to anchored boats, starts at 1 p.m. and runs about seven hours until dark. Returning to the water’s-edge stage, sponsored by Hall Marine, are The Wiggle Wagons, The Bryan Anderson Band, Analog Daze, Lenny Loafer and the Lazy Rhythm Section, The Mighty RhythmBusters, drumSTRONG, and a band made up of Lake Wylie Music Fest volunteers dubbed The Backstage Jam.

“Through the years, bands have been generous to volunteer and have asked to come back,” Pendleton said. “It’s a big audience and fun atmosphere.”

Pendleton said the music event has up to 200 boats in the past. This year, on the main channel despite drought conditions, she expects about another large crowd.

“It’s Labor Day weekend so that should be a plus,” she said, explaining the event is usually in June. “Plus people were concerned it was crowded in the cove in past.”

The floating fest has been an all-volunteer event that continues to grow.

“It’s a labor of love for the lake we love,” Pendleton said. “It's been amazing to see it grow and have people ask about it year after year.”

Part of the growth this year includes the land-only beer event starting at 2 p.m., with early 1 p.m. access for VIP ticket holders.

Steve Lorusso, owner of Sweetwater, hopes to see the same success with the extravaganza as the restaurant has seen since he added craft beer four years ago when he took over the business. It now serves 26 taps and 50 craft bottles, he said.

“It’s what we do every day, and we’ve got a great customer base that appreciates all those beers,” said Lorusso, who shut down the restaurant for a day last week to make renovations in the kitchen, add more televisions and deep clean the dining area. “It’s exciting to watch here.”

Sal Guarin, general manager for Sweetwater, said the craft beer industry is booming.

“We have regulars who come in to see what we have on tap every week,” he said. “We’re trying to grow the craft beer culture in this area.”

Guarin said the restaurant holds tap takeover with a brewery taking four or five taps, offering specials and prizes. He chose the craft breweries for the Sept. 5 event based on customers’ responses to beer based on best rated, most popular, and knowing the product and customers.

“I'm making really good contacts in the industry, and it’s good to get to know these people,” he said.

Beer samplings will come from local breweries and larger craft makers such as Old Mecklenburg Brewery, Birdsong Brewing Co., Triple C Brewing Co., Sugar Creek Brewing Co., Sweetwater Brewing Co. and Sam Adams. Smaller breweries also will be there including Rivermen Brewing Co. in Belmont, Barking Duck Brewing Co. in Mint Hill, N.C., and D9 Brewing Co. in Cornelius, N.C.

“There’s going to be around 20 breweries there and 75 types of beers,” he said.

This story was originally published August 7, 2015 at 1:04 PM with the headline "Lake Wylie Music Fest organizers craft new addition."