Courtesy of IndiHop
Enjoy two fabulous St. Louis neighborhoods, The Grove and Cherokee Street, while getting a taste of some of the area’s local breweries (and bands).
This fifth iteration of IndiHop, the south side celebration of un-corporate suds, will take over the notably cool neighborhoods of Cherokee Street and the Grove this Saturday.
Admission to IndiHop—$25 until Friday at midnight when the price goes up to $30—gets you a wristband and a tasting glass. Between 1 and 7 p.m., ticket holders will be able to roam among participating businesses and sample up to 50 local brews. Be sure to start your afternoon at one of the two will call points—one located at Texas and Cherokee, the other at Chouteau and Sarah—where you can check in, grab your brochure, tasting glass, and wristband. Don't forget to bring your ID.
Artists and street performers will be on hand, and 18 local bands will play at the IndiHop shuttle stops, which truck visitors between the two neighborhoods. You can catch the shuttle at the following intersections: Cherokee and Compton, Cherokee and Texas, Cherokee and Salena, Manchester and Sarah, and Manchester and Taylor. Anyone can ride the shuttles—even designated drivers who did not purchase a ticket.
Event coordinator Gelinda Connell says she looks forward to seeing the neighborhoods fill up. “This is what the Grove should look like every Saturday, this is what Cherokee Street should look like every Saturday! The people watching is great.”
“The main demographic is folks who just love beer, not just as something to imbibe but the process behind it. Then there’s the people who just love the neighborhoods.” Of course, there are those who just can’t say no to a pub crawl, too.
Connell says that the small local brewers involved in the festival are all also deeply invested in the city. Proceeds from the sales of 4 Hands Brewing Co.'s American pale ale City Wide helps support the International Institute, Cherokee Street and Love Park, Grace Hill and the Great Rivers Greenway. Last month, Urban Chestnut Brewing Company hosted a sustainability summit.
Participating businesses like record store Dead Wax Records LLC, made-to-order fashion emporium Bespoke, RISE Coffee House and restaurant/venue Layla and dozens of others are part of the forward momentum making the Cherokee and Grove neighborhoods so vital.
“It’s clear, we are in independent neighborhoods with small businesses and independent business owners. We have our own crowds but there is crossover,” says Connell. “We set out to prove that two neighborhoods could get together, work together and succeed.”
