Board happy with rec dept.’s Brewski budget for 2025

by Dan McClelland

Recreation Department Director Laura LaBarge submitted to the town board this month her projections for a budget for next year’s Brewski at the golf course.

The town sold about 1,300 tickets to the wildly successful event this year and Mrs. LaBarge and her staff are considering making 1,500 tickets available. In addition to those who buy a ticket to drink beer on their stops around the golf course trail, hundreds of others- all non-drinkers- come just for the fun of the outing in February.

Organizers are also hoping to grow the number of brewers from 20 to 25.

Expenses anticipated for 2025 include a supply of many mini-cups, $3,036; lanyards to hold them around participants’ necks, $1,840; bracelets to be worn by drinkers, $420; caribiners, $150; septic services, $900; payment to brewers, $7,200; liquor license, $36; souvenir hoodies to sell, $5036; souvenir shirts to sell, $1,710; fat tire bike rentals from High Peaks Cyclery, $600; donation to Mac’s Safe Ride, $500; donation to youth ski program, $500; and donation to town ski trail program, $7,500. The total of expenses is estimated to be $29,628.

Balanced against expenses next year are a number of revenues: pre-registrations, $36,000; Adk Frontier grant for events, $1,500; donation from Roberts Sports, $500; cash sales day of event, $3,140; merchandise sold via QR, $1,405 and 50/50 raffle profits, $1226.

The revenues Mrs. LaBarge and her staff are projecting is $43,771. That revenue figure would realize a profit of $14,143.

“Laura wanted to give us an idea where she was headed in 2025, based on last February’s revenues and expenses,” Supervisor Rickey Dattola told his board that evening.

“I know it’s a busy, busy place...I wonder how many more people can the event accommodate?” Councilman Tim Larkin said that evening.

Mr. Gillis, who is a big part of the event’s organizing team, said the event can easily accommodate 1,500 paid customers. “Absolutely we can handle that many. Everything is so smooth...the crowds seem the right size...there’s no one pushing or shoving to get a beer.”

He said in recent years participants seem to stay spread out around the course, with the only crowds at the brewing stations.

“I pulled up last year to one of the stations and there were 30 people standing around a fire pit singing.”

He said the entire event has a very relaxed tempo. Inviting an additional 300 could easily work, he assured his colleagues.

“It’s a great event. It has a great vibe. I don’t think we don’t want to go a lot bigger, but I think we can go a little bigger! -And 300 is a good number!”

He said even without the snow this year, and most walking the course as a Brew-shoe, there were no major hiccups.