Learn where Donum Dei Brewery will be staging a pop-up beer garden during Harvest Homecoming.

Harvest Homecoming's annual run in downtown New Albany is almost here, and in 2016, "booth days" take place from October 6 - 9 (Thursday through Sunday). Over at NA Confidential, I've been surveying the scene "behind the booths," where our independent local businesses operate throughout the year.

Donum Dei Brewery is situated near the original NABC location, just off Grant Line Road, approximately four miles from the historic business district. Unlike year-round businesses in downtown, which must adapt to a festival occupying their usual bricks 'n' mortar milieu, Donum Dei's owner Rick Otey must be creative in finding a pop-up spot to set up shop, and with luck, benefit from the crowds.

Just such a setting is the rear of a building on Main Street, which only recently was purchased and is being remodeled.

Preview: 410 Bakery coming to 140 East Main Street in downtown New Albany.

RENOVATION UPDATE: You know, that building where Abe's Rental used to be (140 E Main St).

Locals know it as "where Abe's Rental used to be," and it was a service station before that.

In the completed patio setting shown above, Rick found the ideal niche for serving beer during booth days.

We will be having a Harvest Homecoming Beer Garden! Come and relax and have a couple of pints.

The locations is 140 E. Main. The garden will be on the patio behind the building.

Hours will be:

Thursday October 6, 11-10
Friday October 7, 11-11
Saturday October 8, 11-11
Sunday October 9, 11-6

We will have live original music Friday and Saturday night 7-9.

Friday Bob and Erin Youell
Saturday South Upand

If you're downtown during the madness, don't forget about Donum Dei's pop-up, and for officially sanctioned activities, go here: 2016 Harvest Homecoming Festival Guide.

__

Biers on Parade returns to the Farmers Market on Harvest Homecoming Parade Day (Saturday, October 1).

On Saturday, October 1, 2016, NARBA Presents:

Biers on Parade

A pop-up at the New Albany Farmers Market

Local beer and food at the Farmers Market (City Square), at the corner of Market and Bank in downtown New Albany, 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 1.

The New Albany Restaurant & Bar Association (NARBA) once again is partnering with the New Albany’s Farmers Market and Harvest Homecoming to stage Biers on Parade, a family-friendly food and drink showcase at the Farmers Market pavilion at the corner of Market and Bank Streets on Saturday, October 1.

Biers on Parade coincides with the Harvest Homecoming Parade through downtown New Albany. The Farmers Market will operate from 8:00 a.m. to around 1:00 p.m. on October 1, then Biers on Parade will set up shop. Food, beer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks will be available from 2:00 p.m. through 6:00 p.m.

Biers on Parade offers beer brewed by all three of our city’s breweries: New Albanian Brewing Company, Donum Dei Brewery and Floyd County Brewing Company.

There’ll also be food prepared by Taco Steve, Chef Walker BBQ, Mama’s Kitchen and Boston Joe’s Lobster Rolls, as well as wine from River City Winery.

Proceeds benefit NARBA and Harvest Homecoming’s selected charities. NARBA is applying for non-profit status as a 501(c)6 professional trade group:

The New Albany Restaurant & Bar Association (NARBA) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit trade organization serving the independent restaurant, bar and on-premise food and drink industry in New Albany, Indiana. NARBA serves as the unified voice of its members on government and public relations issues. It also provides programs that offer educational and operational benefits for members. NARBA represents New Albany’s best known and most vibrant local independent business segment, and is dedicated to the advancement and preservation of New Albany as an urban community.

Harvest Homecoming’s booth days in downtown New Albany begin on Thursday, October 6 and run through Sunday, October 9. For more information:
www.harvesthomecoming.com

Oct. 1: Biers on Parade at New Albany City Square
Oct. 1: Harvest Homecoming Parade
Oct. 6 – Oct. 9: Harvest Homecoming Booth Days

__

Pop-up beer garden: ReSurfaced is coming to West Main Street in Louisville.

This posting includes some previously released palaver.

Yesterday in Louisville, Mayor Greg Fischer announced a "pop-up plaza and beer garden" coming to West Main Street in Louisville.

The web site is www.resurfaced.org.

Mayor Announces Vacant Space on Main St. to be Transformed into Arts, Performance Space

ReSurfaced initiative is a six-week project -- Sept. 19-Oct. 25

LOUISVILLE (Aug. 19, 2014) – A vacant block of West Main Street downtown will be turned into a temporary plaza with art, music, movies and craft beer, Mayor Greg Fischer announced today.

The project, called ReSurfaced, will take place Sept. 19 to Oct. 25 and involve local arts groups and architects, food trucks and local craft beer brewers, transforming 615 W. Main St. into a pop-up plaza and beer garden ...

As usual, a wee bit of local history is in order. Once upon a time in Louisville, there was to have been a 62-story skyscraper to be called the Museum Plaza.

It was not built, and the plan has been officially "dead" for at least three years.

In the run-up to Museum Plaza, several infrastructure improvement projects were completed by the city. One of them was on the 600 block of West Main Street, where four buildings were demolished, but their historic facades buttressed and kept intact. This was slated to be developed as the entrance to Museum Plaza from the Main Street corridor.

The space has remained vacant since 2007. Here is the bird's eye view of the hollow cavity.

This is the space intended to host ReSurfaced, and the beer is to be entirely locally brewed, which is a welcome development. The overall plan was discussed during recent meetings of a special committee to advise Mayor Greg Fisher on what the city might do with respect to supporting local breweries. I was happy to be a part of it. Now we'll see what happens next. ReSurfaced is a great idea, but as I've learned, implementation can be a real bear.