The Clover Valley Beer Festival returns for a second year, this time spilling across the Langley border for a three-day celebration instead of just one.
Gibbons Whistler is holding the event with help from Langley’s own Property Twins, Jamie and Chris Ruscheinski.
Last year, the twins sponsored a VIP lounge for beer lovers to get extra access to the array of suds. But it wasn’t just about the brew that brought them aboard – Chris told the Langley Advance Times the pair got involved to raise money to fight cancer.
“We started fundraising about twenty years ago when lost our mother to breast cancer,” Ruscheinski said. “I met Gibbons a while back – they were a client of mine when I did sales for Red Bull.”
The brothers formed Twins Cancer Fundraising to raise money for their mom’s medical bills, starting with a modest concert in their father’s backyard.
What those efforts have grown into two decades later are the Long Table Christmas Gala and the annual Cloverdale music festival Gone Country. The latter has raised over $2.2 million for cancer charities; held for the seventh time on July 20 with performances by Aaron Prichett and George Canyon.
Clover Valley is the newest in a long list of fundraising efforts to fight the disease after Gibbons got back in contact with Ruscheinski to see if they wanted to help.
“Partial proceeds from the beer fest will be going to B.C. Cancer Foundation to fund new medical equipment,” Ruscheinski said.
Last year, 2,500 people came out to the Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre – the same spot Gone Country is held – to sample a variety of local beers. This year, 40 plus breweries will be serving double that amount alongside food trucks, games and live music on Saturday.
Sammy J’s Grill & Bar (19925 Willowbrook Dr) will hold several starter events including a performance by bluegrass-country trio The Rollin’ Trainwreck at 6 p.m on Friday and a pre-game brunch on Saturday morning before the main event.
The weekend officially starts on Thursday with a Tap Launch at Hawthorne Beer Market & Bistro in Surrey where it will also end with an after-party.
Ruscheinski said the event will hopefully become another annual mainstay in the community like Gone Country.
“We’re already over half way to selling out which is where he like to be. Tickets start going fast now,” he warned.
Tickets are available for The Clover Valley Beer Festival at www.gibbonswhistler.com.
Read More: Clover Valley Beer Festival music lineup has ‘something for everyone’
People can also visit the twin’s website for more information on this or any other of their fundraising events.
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Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com
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