First Wheaton Ale Fest a success

At first, Wheaton business owner Mark Carlson was highly skeptical that the city’s first outdoor microbrew festival would be a success.

But on Saturday, he happily admitted he was wrong.

“I never dreamed that so many people would show up,” said Carlson, who owns Carlson True Value Hardware along Front Street in downtown Wheaton. “This is definitely a great event.”

A total of 1,650 people bought tickets for Wheaton Ale Fest — about 1,550 in pre-sales and 100 on the day of the event — said Mike Benard, executive director of the Wheaton Park District.

By 2:30 p.m., the festival was sold out, Benard said.

“We decided on a maximum number of people ahead of time, and we reached it,” he said. “This was without question a success.”

Resident Sue Mennecke, who remembers the town being dry in the 1960s and 1970s, said Ale Fest was a fun occasion to attract to her hometown people from all over the suburbs.

“It’s been very peaceful,” she said. “People are pacing themselves.”

Downers Grove residents Brian and Annie Perveneckis said they had a great time at the festival, but wished organizers had thought of lining up cabs for people on their way out.

“They made a big deal out of designated drivers,” Brian Perveneckis said. “It’s hard to get home if there are no cabs.”

Forty-two beer vendors, nine of them from Illinois, took part in the festival, said promoter Curt Foreman, of Wisconsin-based Brewfest Partners. The festival’s inventory was slightly off because of last week’s power outages, which prevented some wholesalers from shipping beer, he said.

Rick Horan, who owns The Bank restaurant on Front Street, said the lunch crowd on Saturday increased by about 25 percent to 30 percent. Horan said he is in favor of making Ale Fest an annual event.

“We are very pleased with all the street traffic,” Horan said. “We definitely support this happening again.”

Ale: Wheaton merchants thrilled with street traffic