On August 1, the North Beach Bandshell (located on 73rd St and Collins Ave) will host Miami Beach’s first ever Beer Festival. Ticket holders will be able to sample 40 craft beers and enjoy live entertainment and food at the all-day event. Marketing Manager for the Miami Beach Summer Beer Festival and South Florida Food Festivals Group Diego Caiola, who grew up across from North Shore Open Space Park, said they decided to host the event in the area because of his love of North Beach.

“The Bandshell is a great little spot,” said Caiola. “We hope to have anywhere from 500 to 600 people there. The point of the event is to elevate the image and profile of North Beach. We need more restaurants, more burger places and definitely craft beers. Additionally, we were encouraged by the City of Miami Beach to host the event in North Beach.”

They plan on having a diverse range of breweries from all over Miami and Wynwood and hope this event will encourage breweries to set up shop in Miami Beach, which has none.

“We’ve been in business for almost 3 years now,” said Legacy Caribbean Craft Brewery spokesperson Ismael Fernandez, who will be participating at the Festival. “We’re planning to serve four different beers at this event, which includes our guava blonde ale known as Doña Rosa; our mango and passion fruit wheat ale known as Latitude Zero; our cream ale known as Clubhouse and our white wheat ale known as Tallulah. We are looking forward to a wonderful experience.”

One of the entertainers at the event will be provided by local cover band Ovrhol. The band’s original songs, written and arranged by Richard Rey, include influences ranging from The Beatles to Led Zeppelin, Guns & Roses and The Foo Fighters. The band includes Rey on guitar and vocals and Landy Jimenez on Bass. Additionally, DJ Felix Salma will be spinning between the band’s performances.

The Festival’s general admission cost will be $40 and will grant guests access to the event from 2 pm to 5 pm, allow them to sample all the craft beers available and receive an official mug. The VIP ticket is $75 allowing guests entrance an hour early, at 1 pm, and they will receive a festival mug, t-shirt and book bag. Ticket holders must be 21 to attend and present a valid ID. Parking is available across the street from the Bandshell at a city parking lot.

Caiola and the South Florida Food Festivals Group organizes the South Beach Bike Week and a few other festivals in North Beach. For more information on the Miami Beach Summer Beer Festival, visit www.miamibeachbeerfestival.com