The Mancos Valley Summer Brewfest this year drew the highest participation in its four years, according to co-owner of Mancos Brewing Co. Kathy Hands. She estimaged that 40,0450 people attended and the event raised close to $8,500.
Each year, the money raised goes to the nonprofit organization Mancos Valley Resources, where it gets split between specific projects and the organization itself.
Hands said Mancos Valley Resources gets 50 percent of the proceeds and two other projects Painted Turtle Studio and Mount Lookout Grange get 25 percent each.
Mancos Brewing Co. chooses which projects within Mancos Valley Resources will benefit from Brewfest, Hands said, and making that decision isn’t as hard as it sounds.
“The brewer and I just sit down and have a discussion about it every year,” Hands said. They look at the projects Mancos Valley Resources has and decide which ones make the most sense.
Unlike most brewfests, which are places for breweries to donate beer as a way to market their products, the Mancos Valley Brewfest is more of a family-friendly festival.
“We recognize how hard it is for small local breweries to give away their beer, so our event is a little different,” Hands said.
