Veterans Day Brew It Forward to celebrate and support vets

Those who have always wanted to "pay it forward" on Veterans Day will get their chance this year at the First Division Museum at Cantigny.

The museum is hosting "Brew It Forward" on Saturday, Nov. 11. Hours for this popular beer tasting event, first held in 2017, are 1 to 4 p.m.

Proceeds benefit the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans in Wheaton.

Veterans who attend may draw from a basket of beer tokens paid for and donated for their use by visitors wishing to say "thank you" on Veterans Day. Guests may also donate directly to the shelter.

Participating craft brewers are Bell's, Generations, Half Acre, Lagunitas, New Belgium, 93 Octane, Solemn Oath, and Tighthead.

Veteran-owned Kountry Vodka will also be sampling. Tasting packages include five 3-ounce pours for $10 or twelve pours for $20.

"Brew It Forward" will take place in the Tank Park located outside the First Division Museum, weather permitting.

Fire pits surrounded by hay bales and Adirondack chairs add a fun and social element to the event. Food and family activities also will be available.

Admission to "Brew It Forward" is free, and so is parking at Cantigny on Veterans Day.

First Division Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Veterans Day weekend is the final opportunity to see the museum's 2023 special exhibit, "65 Years."

Visit FDMuseum.org for more details.

The First Division Museum, part of the Chicago-based Robert R. McCormick Foundation and located at Cantigny in Wheaton, Illinois, promotes public learning about America's military heritage and affairs through the history of the "Big Red One"-the famed 1st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army. The museum's main exhibit hall, First in War, transports visitors to the trenches of World War I, the beaches of World War II, and the jungles of Vietnam. A second exhibit hall, Duty First, explores the 1ID's history in more recent times. The Robert R. McCormick Research Center, open to the public, houses the museum's library, archival and photo collections. Tanks from every era are outside the museum, along with artillery pieces and a personnel carrier. Memorial markers and commemorative statuary pay further tribute to those who served and sacrificed.

The First Division Museum is open daily, except Mondays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in November and December. Admission is included with Cantigny's regular parking fee.