Clips and Sips at Republic Square Park
New Belgium Brewing hosts short film festival Downtown
By Joey Keeton, Fri., Sept. 20, 2013
If you enjoy beer, movies, food, supporting nonprofits, or any combination of those four, then New Belgium's traveling Clips Beer & Film Tour is a fairly safe bet for your Thursday night on Sept. 26. Because it contains all those things. And admission is free.
"When the sun goes down, the films will begin," says Jesse Claeys, one of the festival's producers who will be working the Austin event. "There will be 18 films, all PG, family-appropriate material, that are all six minutes or under. It's nice, because if you don't like one short, you know another will be starting soon."
The event is one of 21 nationwide stops on the Clips Tour. "Starting at 7 o'clock, there will be yard games, tricks, and contests, [plus] beer offered and food available from Lucky J's Chicken & Waffles and the Seedling Truck, so there's really something for everybody," says Claeys. "Beer will be sold for $1.50 per 3 ounces, which gives you the opportunity to sample from the 18 varieties available."
Those varieties will include the New Belgium staples, such as Fat Tire and the Ranger IPA, as well as various rarities, some of which will be new to Austin.
"There will be a few beers that haven't reached Austin in distribution, such as the Coconut Curry Hefeweizen," says Claeys.
If you're already set on a beer for the night, or don't want to get up too much once the short films start rolling, 12-ounce pours will also be available.
All proceeds from the beer sales will be going to the Austin Ridge Riders Mountain Bike Club, which organizes social rides for all ages, and builds and maintains bike trails around the city, making the festival a rare opportunity to perform a civil service by simultaneously drinking and watching movies.
"It's a great organization, and I'm proud to have a part in supporting them," says Claeys. The festival has also partnered with Ecology Action of Texas to make sure everything's recycled and kept green.
The Clips Beer & Film Tour will be held at Republic Square Park, and all events will last from 7 to 10pm, with the exception of the short films, which will begin at dark. The producers ask that you remember to bring an ID if you want beer, to please leave outside beer at home (although outside food is permitted), to bring a water bottle for free water-fills provided by the festival, and to keep all dogs on a leash.
Visit the New Belgium website (www.newbelgium.com) for more info, including the complete beer selection and photos from the tour.
