(PHOTOS) The 2023 SUDS Beer Festival
Matt Watkins enjoys a beer during the 2023 SUDS Beer Festival and the last few days of his mustache. He's shaving it for "Mowvember," an annual event to raise awareness of men's health issues. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Decatur, GA — The SUDS Beer Festival brought 25 breweries and crowds to Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28.
“We started SUDS last year as a rebranding of the Decatur Craft Beer Festival,” Brick Store Pub owner and one of the founders and organizers of the Decatur Craft Beer Festival/ SUDS Dave Blanchard said. “We moved it from the Square to Legacy Park for a number of reasons. It was time to switch it up a little bit. The city had bought Legacy Park and was hoping to do more events like this, so we were happy to shrink the festival a good bit, do it on the grass and under the trees in the shade and have a much more intimate type of beer festival than what most people are doing.”
Blanchard said they handpicked the 25 breweries that Brick Store Pub supports year-round for the festival, and 100 percent of the money raised goes to local nonprofits.
“It’s been a wonderful thing. I want to say it’s been about 25 years we’ve been doing it,” Blanchard said.
Wearing beer drinking T-shirts, Martin Dunlap and Grayson Thagard head out from the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur with their collector SUDS souvenir tasting glasses on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Dunlap said the festival is, “a very Decatur thing.” Photo by Dean Hesse.
The SUDS Beer Festival is held for the second year at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
(Left to Right) Katie, Cat, Lakiesha and Joann pose for a photo during the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Jennifer and Del Price enjoy the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
(Left to Right) Jessica Rummler, event organizer Carrington Moore, Brick Store Pub Beer Director Neil Callaghan and Dave Blanchard, owner and founder of Brick Store Pub and a founder of Decatur Beer Festival/SUDS pose for a photo during the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Gianna Branella and Thomas Raczkowski enjoy the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Verline and Sherrod dance while Atlanta based band Penelope Road performs during the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
West Midtown’s Round Trip Brewing Company Assistant Brewer Mary Beth McWhorter (right) looks on while volunteer Oliver Kersak, festively dressed in lederhosen, pours a beer during the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Volunteer Matt Tinaglia and Monday Night Brewing Georgia Sales Representative Corey Kent hold a couple cans of Death Raptor during the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Kent said proceeds from the brew will go to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Andrew Daniels enjoys a Death Raptor from Monday Night Brewing during the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Chris Kreitel and Justin Romberg came prepared with pretzel necklaces during the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Atlanta based band Penelope Road entertains the crowd during the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Three Taverns Brewery Marketing and Sales Representative Victoria Wilkinson is ready to pour some Decatur 200 Pale Ale in celebration of the city’s bicentennial during the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Brick Store Pub Chef Grant Cain shows his pork belly confit with cashew satay prepared for the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
People listen to Atlanta based band Penelope Road perform during the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Volunteers Elizabeth and Stephen Standard spent the morning setting up tents, tables and traffic cones the for the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur and the afternoon enjoying some craft beers on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
James Beard award-winning chef Terry Koval wraps an Italian beef for a customer during the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Koval’s The Deer and the Dove was named a recommended restaurant in the Michelin Guide’s first Atlanta edition on Oct. 24. Photo by Dean Hesse
Garner Corbett pours a Bold Monk Brewing Co. Umibozu Premium Lager for Joe Perz during the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Craft beers on ice ready for tasting during the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
Volunteer Gail Richman holds down the Delirium Brewery table during the SUDS Beer Festival at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo by Dean Hesse.
The SUDS Beer Festival is held for the second year at Legacy Park in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. SUDS is a rebranding of the Decatur Craft Beer Festival. Photo by Dean Hesse.
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