6^th Annual Empire State Brewing & Music Festival
Combines World Class Craft Beer with Great Music

SYRACUSE, N.Y. APRIL 06, 2007 - The New York State Brewer’s Association and Empire Brewing Company Brewery announced they will play host to the sixth annual “Empire State Brewing and Music Festival” at the Clinton Square Festival Site in Downtown Syracuse on July 11^th, 2008 from 5PM – 11PM.  The festival will include beer sampling from the invited 60 New York State Breweries.  And, by inviting other world class craft breweries, we have expanded the number of participating craft breweries to 100!  The beer sampling portion of the event will occur between 5PM and 10PM.  “The success of the past 5 year’s of this festival has boosted the awareness of New York’s 60 breweries and has opened the world of craft beer to the Central New York consumer” says organizer David Katleski.  “I’m really proud of the quality and diversity of beer styles our state breweries produce.” In June of 2004, USA Today listed the Empire State Brewing and Music Festival as one of the Top Ten Beer Festivals in America.  “That is a lot of pressure to live up to year after year.  In an effort to keep the festival fresh, we added a Belgium Tent last year and this year we will be featuring a Cask Conditioned Ale Tent.  We are also offering a more unique variety of Craft Breweries and nearly 300 different styles of beers.  This year we have also placed a greater emphasis on the music.  I believe that the music line-up is incredible.”

Six bands will perform on alternating stages.  The Bagpipe Dudes will kick off the celebration and open the gates to the festival at 4:30PM.  The Empire State Brewing and Music Festival is a sponsor of the American Red Cross Corporate Battle of the Band Challenge at the Landmark Theatre on April 18, 2008.  The winning band will perform at this year’s festival in the second slot.  Country singer/songwriter Floramay Holliday from Austin, TX, will also perform and MC throughout the event.    Hot Day at the Zoo, from Lowell, MA, will delight the crowds with their string band style of Bluegrass.  Big Leg Emma from Jamestown, NY will perform in the fifth slot and national recording artists Donna the Buffalo from Trumansburg, NY will conclude the evening of music as the headliner.  Electronic press kits on all the musical performances can be downloaded from www.empirebrewfest.com.

$35 advance tickets for the Empire State Brewing and Music Festival are available at www.empirebrewfest.com on April 7^th – a date which marks the 75^th anniversary of the end of prohibition.  A limited amount of tickets may be available at the gate for $45.  Music lover tickets (does not allow for beer sampling) are available at the gate for $20.  No one under the age of 21 will be admitted.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the NYS Brewers Association, Project Children and the American Red Cross.

Additional information may be obtained on-line at www.empirebrewfest.com

(315)256.7608

nysbrewfest@yahoo.com