Indiana is riding the wave of the craft beer and wine boom.
The state now boasts more than 200 small breweries, tap rooms and brewpubs, and 99 wineries within its borders. A large number of those have been founded in past decade, including seven in Johnson County during that time span.
That growth has given people myriad choices of varieties to try. But the sheer abundance can also be somewhat overwhelming.
Luckily, one of downtown Franklin’s popular summer festivals is designed to help people navigate the crowded craft scene. Hops & Vines will showcase 13 regional breweries and wineries, allowing people to buy samples of different styles and offerings from each one.
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The goal is to spotlight a growing interest in the county and the state, while also spotlighting everything that makes Franklin special, said Emily Snyder, executive director for Discover Downtown Franklin.
“It’s definitely becoming a huge trend to have local breweries and wineries at all kind of local events,” she said. “’Shop Small’ is a huge thing for downtown Franklin, an while not all of these breweries and wineries are from the county, we wanted them to come to Franklin to share their own hard work with people.”
Hops & Vines has evolved since Franklin organizers envisioned a late-summer festival for the city. Originally, the event was called Beer & Bluegrass, and featured bluegrass bands performing while local breweries served in a special beer garden.
In 2017, it transitioned more to focus on local beer and wine, Snyder said.
“People, especially the younger generation, have really loved the craft beer and wine trend. They want to go to these places. So when we changed it, we wanted the emphasis to be on the local breweries and wineries,” she said.
The 13 participating groups comes from all over central Indiana, though a majority are from Johnson County. One of the featured breweries is Shale’s Creek Brewing — the only brewery located right downtown, which organizers felt was important to showcase, Snyder said.
A fenced-off beer and wine garden will be set up for all guests 21 and over. Admission to the garden is $5, then people can try samples of different varieties for $1 apiece. Pints can be purchased for $5.
The foundation of the festival is beer and wine, but Snyder said a wide variety of activities will be featured to make the event appealing for people of any age.
The Bishops, an Indianapolis party band bopping through the hits of the ‘70s and ‘80s, will provide the soundtrack for the evening. Food trucks will be set up offering savory dishes and sweet treats.
A classic car cruise-in will be set up north of the courthouse, while the Historic Artcraft Theatre screens “Remember the Titans” throughout the weekend.
“Part of our mission is to create community traditions. We feel very strongly and passionately that these traditions are for all ages,” Snyder said. “While it’s so much fun to have the wineries and breweries here, it’s important to have something for all ages. They can enjoy the music and the food, go to the Artcraft, and enjoy these traditions.”
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Hops & Vines
What: A festival dedicated to local breweries and wineries. People can enter the beer and wine garden, sample different varieties for $1 each, and buy glasses of beer or wine for $5.
When: 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday
Where: Downtown Franklin
Schedule
- 2 and 7:30 p.m.: "Remember the Titans," Historic Artcraft Theatre, 57 N. Main St.; tickets $6 adults, $5 seniors, college student, military with ID, $4 children 12 and under
- 5 p.m.: Food and beer vendors serving
- 5 p.m.: Classic car cruise-in, North Main Street
- 7 to 10 p.m.: Live music by the Bishops
Admission: $5 to get into the beer and wine garden, free otherwise
Information: discoverdowntownfranklin.com
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