This weekend's Downtown Brewfest coincides with opening of Wilmington's newest brewery

The Downtown Brewfest sure knows how to pick its weekends.

Last year's debut of the annual beer festival and block party happened to be timed to the delivery of brewery equipment at Market Street's Stitch House Brewery.

Cranes towered over the inaugural fest, delivering fermenters to only the second downtown brewery to open in more than six decades.

This time around, Saturday's beer festival coincides with the official opening weekend of the city's Wilmington Brew Works, which started Thursday. That spot is set to become the city's first production brewery in 64 years.

After years of watching breweries pop up across the state — everywhere from Dover and Delmar to Milton and Middletown — the state's biggest city finally has its own little hoppin' brewery scene.

The first Downtown Brewfest last year helped show that Wilmington was ready.

Held in mid-August, usually a tough time to attract a large crowd thanks to vacations and beach weekends, the festival beat expectations and drew 1,000 people, cementing its return.

And attendees weren't just from Wilmington. Some traveled from as far as New Hampshire and North Carolina. Even more people are expected this year based on advance ticket sales, says Brewfest organizer Joe Van Horn.

"We doubled the size of our VIP this year and they're already sold out," says Van Horn, also co-owner of Chelsea Tavern. "We're out to prove something. We're out to prove that people will come downtown if you give them a reason."

Brewfest will run from noon to 7:30 p.m., offering more than 100 beers from nearly 50 local and regional breweries. Proceeds benefit the Restore the King campaign, a drive to raise $100,000 and restore the 11-foot, 1,000-pound zinc King Gambrinus statue that stood at the old Diamond State Brewery in Wilmington.

Delaware breweries will be well represented with both plenty of downstate (16 Mile, Dogfish Head, Crooked Hammock, Blue Earl, Rebel Seed, 3rd Wave) and upstate (Stitch House, Midnight Oil, Liquid Alchemy Beverages, Dew Point, Bellefonte, Wilmington Brew Works, Argilla) beer-makers on site.

Tickets are $40 for the four-hour general admission tasting, which starts at 1:30 p.m. The VIP experience, which sold out of its $55 tickets, begins its exclusive early tastings at noon. All tastings end at 5:30 p.m. with beer being then sold by the vendors until 7:30 p.m. That's when Downtown Brewfest will call it a night.

Wilmington's Karen Szymanski already has her ticket. After attending last year's inaugural edition, this beer fan is all in.

"I work in town and walk Market Street every day from Rodney Square to Fourth Street and back," says Szymanski, a project manager for an insurance company. "I love seeing the progress on that street — the apartments, businesses & restaurants. Even better to see an event that showcases our city."

While Brewfest is raging, complete with hourlong sets by local and regional acts Kitty Rotten, Genesis Z & the Black Mambas and Susquehanna Floods, Wilmington Brew Works will be in two spots at once.

With a five-person, hands-on ownership group, they won't be stretched too thin.

But it might not matter.

After greeting about 800 customers during a string of intimate, ticketed beer tastings over the past month, the doors swung open to all on Thursday.

"By doing these soft openings, I was hoping to control the response a little bit, but I don't think that's going to happen. I imagine we're going to be mobbed," says Craig Wensell, Wilmington Brew Works brewer and co-owner. "I just hope everyone is understanding."

Opening weekend beers include Bier du Blanc (4.2% ABV Belgian wit), Superfluous Nomenclature (4.8 % ABV modern pale ale), Nocturnal Indiscretion (5% ABV Belgian rye stout), Brett du Blanc (4.4 % ABV wild Belgian wit), Theoretical Holes (5.7% West Coast IPA), Golden Hopsmelt (6.8% ABV Northeast IPA), Lupulin Enlightenment (7.3% ABV Lactose Northeast IPA), Eloquation (9.8% Triple IPA) and Experimental Station #2 (6.5% ABV sour amber).

While there won't be live music quite yet at Wilmington Brew Works — that could come as soon as later this month — there will be food.

The neighboring Hot Spot pizzeria will offer hot meals and sandwiches Saturday and Sunday. Patrons are also allowed to bring their own food to the brewery at any time.

With Wilmington Brew Works opening and Downtown Brewfest returning, this is one of the biggest Wilmington beer weekends in recent memory. Combined with March's opening of Stitch House Brewery a few doors down from Chelsea Tavern, it's a great time to be a big city fan of freshly brewed beers.

"It's the perfect time to prove that we're on the map," says Van Horn, whose beer-centric Chelsea Tavern carries about 300 different craft cans and bottles alongside with its 31-tap system. "Stitch House is bringing people downtown and then they are discovering us as well. It's really been working out."

Contact Ryan Cormier of The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier), Twitter (@ryancormier) and Instagram (@ryancormier).

IF YOU GO

What: Downtown Brewfest 2018

When: Saturday, noon to 7:30 p.m. (Tastings begin at noon for VIP and 1:30 p.m. for general admission.)

Where: North Market Street in Wilmington near Chelsea Tavern (821 N Market St.) The roadway will be closed between West Eighth and Ninth streets.

Cost: $40 (The $55 VIP passes are already sold out.)

Breweries: 16 Mile, Stitch House, Midnight Oil, Dogfish Head, Crooked Hammock, Liquid Alchemy Beverages, Dew Point, Bellefonte, Wilmington Brew Works, Argilla, 2SP, Blue Earl, Rebel Seed, 3rd Wave, Brooklyn, Heavy Seas, Weyerbacher, Neshaminy Creek, RaR Brewery, Founders, Two Roads, Lagunitas, Terrapin, Victory, Flying Fish, Unibroue, Bold Rock, Left Hand, Southern Tier, Stone, Ithica, Yards, Harpoon, Sam Adams, SweetWater, Shiner, Kona, Tuckahoe, Sly Fox, Uinta, North Coast and Schlafly.

Food trucks: Delaware Provisions and Kapow, along with local restaurants

Musical acts: Susquehanna Floods (2-3 p.m.), Genesis Z & the Black Mambas (4-5 p.m.) and Kitty Rotten (6- 7 p.m.) DJ Shadylady will spin in between live music sets.

Information: facebook.com/ChelseaTavern

IF YOU GO

What: Grand opening of Wilmington Brew Works

When: Saturday (noon-9 p.m.) and Sunday (noon-6 p.m.)

Where: Wilmington Brew Works, 3129 Miller Road, Wilmington 

Opening weekend beers: Bier du Blanc (4.2% ABV Belgian wit), Superfluous Nomenclature (4.8% ABV modern pale ale), Nocturnal Indiscretion (5% ABV Belgian rye stout), Brett du Blanc (4.4% ABV wild Belgian wit), Theoretical Holes (5.7% West Coast IPA), Golden Hopsmelt (6.8% ABV Northeast IPA), Lupulin Enlightenment (7.3% ABV Lactose Northeast IPA), Eloquation (9.8% Triple IPA) and Experimental Station #2 (6.5% ABV sour amber). Also available, the 5% ABV Stay Golden cider. Non-alcoholic Italian sodas are also sold for children.

Information: facebook.com/wilmingtonbrewworks