MCCD to host The Great Outdoors Beer Trail

Embrace your appreciation of the outdoors and McHenry County's wide open spaces with a new special event, "The Great Outdoors Beer Trail," from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday. Aug. 19 at Fel-Pro RRR Conservation Area, 1520 Crystal Lake Road in Cary. It is co-sponsored by McHenry County Conservation District and McHenry County Conservation Foundation.

If you love sampling good craft beer and spending time outdoors, this event is for you! Event goers can walk the one mile partially wooded, paved path while visiting various regional brewers along the trail. Pick up game of bags, sand volleyball or basketball will be available as well as live music from Chicagoland's bluegrass band River Valley Rangers. Toasty Cheese and The Crave Bar food trucks will be on site fixin' up some good grub.

"The idea behind the event was to reach out to new audiences who enjoy the outdoors and introduce them to the great conservation areas and open spaces we have here in McHenry County and while on-site they can learn about and experience firsthand the outdoor recreational opportunities that exist that they may not have been aware of," said Wendy Kummerer, communications manager. "This is the inaugural year and it is setup to be a fundraiser for the district to help support future outdoor recreational amenities. We hope to see the event grow."

Eighteen different craft beers will be available including McHenry County's local brewers: Chain O' Lakes Brewery, Crystal Lake Brewing Co, Scorched Earth Brewing Co, and Wild Onion Brewery.

Tickets are available on Eventbrite .

Tickets are $45, including a souvenir glass and 4 oz. tastes from each brewer; $15 for designated driver, souvenir glass, free water and soda.

For more information, call (815) 479-5779 or www.MCCDistrict.org and www.facebook.com/TheGreatOutdoorsBeerTrail/.