After a year of COVID, the Portage brewery’s second anniversary party boasted performances by Lexi Adams, St. Joe Jack and more — with limited capacity, regular sanitization and new brews.
Even Former Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders Made an Appearance: Well, at least his cutout did, joining singer Lexi Adams for the anniversary celebration on Monday. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
For the first time in months, the Kalamazoo area experienced some live, in-person music this week.
Support our coverage of
West Michigan's music scene
To commemorate Presidents’ Day and the brewery’s second anniversary, Portage’s Presidential Brewing Co. staged a full day of live music, with performances by St. Joe Jack, Lexi Adams, POTUS & The Cabinet and more on Monday.
Located in a spot that previously housed a laser tag arcade and mini-golf course — on Portage Road just south of Centre Street — one of the Kalamazoo area’s newest breweries clearly has energized a site had been vacant for the past 10 years.
Birthday Celebration: St. Joe Jack performing on Monday. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
Owners Jake and Kaylee Lohse arranged the celebration around coronavirus protocols and capacity restrictions, splitting the day into 90-minute blocks to allow patrons to enjoy their brews and food, while soaking up live performances by artists playing their first live sets of 2021.
In between those seatings and performance sets, staff sanitized the brewery, which also unveiled three special barrel-aged brews this week.
Presidential Brewing plans to further expand its live music offerings later this year with an outdoor stage. The stage — planned for an area behind the mini-golf course — could be open by July 4.
The Lohses said this advances their goal to build community through craft beer, music and family. The brewery currently is open Thursday through Sunday.
PHOTO GALLERY: Presidential Brewing Anniversary Celebration
Photos by Derek Ketchum
