Brewgaloo to bring tens of thousands to downtown Raleigh for beer

More than 100 breweries and tens of thousands of patrons will descend upon Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh this weekend for Brewgaloo, the state's largest celebration of craft beer.

Driving the news: Brewgaloo kicks off Friday night with a sampling event of limited-release sours and barrel-aged beers.

• The main event, which will shut down parts of downtown to car traffic, will happen Saturday afternoon.
• The festival also includes bands, food trucks and merchants.

Why it matters: Around 55,000 people attended Brewgaloo last year — the first time it had been held in a full capacity since the onset of the pandemic — according to Jennifer Martin, executive director of the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association, the organization that hosts Brewgaloo.

Details: Tickets to Friday's all-you-can-drink event start at $45. Admission to Saturday's street festival is free, with drink tickets available for purchase.

What they're saying: "This annual event brings tens of thousands of people to downtown Raleigh that not only fill hotels," Martin said in an email, "they also dine at local restaurants, shop nearby businesses and create vibrancy and a positive economic impact for our city and state."