A little cold and rain couldn’t deter the La Porte community on Saturday afternoon as 25 local breweries and wineries gathered at the La Porte Civic Auditorium for the 3rd Annual La Pour Brew and Wine Fest. Still in its infancy, this festival was packed to the gills inside the auditorium which was filled with every kind of beer and wine that an aficionado could desire.
This year was a bit different, however. The Fest was headed by DeCamp’s Band of Brothers Foundation with the proceeds going to fund the Clarke Park Project, a $150,000 plan to rehabilitate a neglected park with a rich history in La Porte.
“One hundred percent of the profits are going towards renovating a neighborhood park,” said Mike Riehle, one of the Founding members of DeCamp. “We plan on turning it into a viable baseball field, playground and those kinds of things. We’ve raised close to $110,000. We’re breaking ground in June.”
The plan to rehabilitate the park is to honor Jeff Decamp, a longtime friend of Brett Binversie, Director of the La Porte Civic Auditorium and Events Coordinator for La Porte Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“We’re using La pour to raise funds for the Clarke Park renovation. This is used by the LPHS baseball team. Its in honor of a close friend that the DeCamp Foundation is named after that passed away from cancer. He was a lifelong resident of LA Porte and baseball player on the 1987 national championship baseball team,” he said.
They planned on using the civic auditorium to do an event in a historic building late in the year when people aren’t doing much outside anymore. Binverie continued. “We wanted to highlight the Civic Auditorium and the local breweries in the Region. We’re looking to make this grow and keep this event growing in the next few years.“
It seems like things are on track for them with 25 breweries in attendance, many of them returning from last year’s event. “We love coming here,” smiled Matt Zakrzewski, Co-owner of Burn ‘em Brewing. “This is our third year coming here. La Porte treats us nice. We’re one of the few that bring a keg. We like to bring a nice variety. The La Porte people have helped us out so much we just want to be there for them.”
The La Porte community showed their love this year by braving the foul weather and sampling the different brews offered in the auditorium, most coming with their friends. Stephanie Blazek came last year and brought her friend Terresa Vraves to this year’s event. “It’s about the community. They’re doing this for a fundraiser and I think that’s great,” said Blazek. “I’ve never been before and Stephanie has been,“ Vraves said. “I think it’s awesome for a community for everyone to come together, and for Rich Hardesty to come to town.”
Hollis Ballard, a local beer aficionado, was brought by his cousin Jeremy Blazek and his friend Nathaniel McGhee. “These brew fests are about a simpler time, gathering of friends and drinking beer,” mused McGhee.
“For me it’s about seeing all the artistic expression through their beer,” said Blazek thoughtfully. “Having a good time and being with friends.”
The afternoon brought a local celebrity home to help out with the charity as well. Rich Hardesty, who went to La Porte High School has fond memories of Clarke Park.
“I grew up near Clarke Park as a kid,” he said. “I remember playing in T-ball and little league there. So when they asked, it was a no brainer for me as I have so many memories attached to that park. My mom’s here so that’s another bonus, and anything that involves La Porte, if I’m in town and I can help, I will.”
All of the local breweries and wineries said that they loved being there because of the support that the community of La Porte has given them.
Annie Hovanec of Green Bush Brewing said, “We came last year and we had such a good time so when they asked me I said absolutely. I love the support we get in La Porte.”
If the size of the attendance today was any indication, then the DeCamp Foundation will have gone a long way to raising the money needed to rehabilitate Clarke Park. With plans already in the works for their next project, expect an even better and bigger Brew Fest next year.