Corks & Kegs Festival brings craft beers and entertainment to Hollywood Casino
Connoisseurs of local craft beers and wines will have plenty of opportunity to quench their thirst and sample what regional vendors have to offer at the annual Corks & Kegs Festival this weekend at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows in North Strabane.
The seventh Corks & Kegs Festival since 2015 – the 2020 festival was called off due to COVID-19 – this year’s event will, as always, have plenty of samples of high-quality and unique beers, wines and spirits, along with a full entertainment menu, food trucks selling everything from pretzels to pastries and plenty more. It kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday.
The Corks & Kegs Festival is an Observer-Reporter event.
“Each year we try to improve on a wonderful community event,” according to Carole DeAngelo, the Observer-Reporter’s director of advertising and events.
The festival will have more than 60 craft beers and a dozen breweries and distilleries. Several new additions are part of the festival this year, with four themed bar areas replacing the one beer garden from previous festivals. The four themed bars are the Steel City Bar, the Tiki Lounge Bar, the Western Saloon Bar and the Barstool Sportsbook Bar.
“This will allow people to visit the entire festival and sample unique craft beers,” DeAngelo said.
Sunday is Sept. 11, one of the more somber days on the American calendar, and the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, will be commemorated through a service honoring first responders at 12:30 p.m. It will include a guest appearance by former Pittsburgh Steelers halfback Rocky Bleier. Washington County’s commissioners will be there, and representatives from North Strabane’s police and fire departments and ambulance and chair service.
Sunday is also the first regular season game for the Steelers as the team embarks on its first season since 2004 without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The match with the Cincinnati Bengals will be shown on a big screen outdoors in the afternoon.
A wide range of live music has been programmed for Corks & Kegs. The group of House of Soul is scheduled for Saturday at noon, followed by the country band Ruff Creek at 2:30 p.m. Pittsburgh blues and soul singer Billy Price will cap off the day’s performances at 6 p.m.
On Sunday, Twan Moore and the Party Train will get things started at 11 a.m. Radio Tokyo, a covers band based in Washington, will close out the festival’s entertainment roster at 4 p.m.
An assortment of vendors selling furniture, jewelry and more will be on hand. A classic car cruise, a regular part of Corks & Kegs, is happening at the casino’s racetrack and nearby parking lots on Sunday. Registration starts at 9:30 a.m., with the cruise following at 11 a.m. Registration and admission are free.
“There is literally something for everyone and we are thrilled to bring this to our community,” DeAngelo said.
Hours for the Corks & Kegs Festival are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday; noon to 9 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Information is available at corksandkegsfestival.com.