*Updated on March 31 to reflect the winner of the Battle of the Bands.
OCALA, FL (352today.com) – UPDATED, 3/31/2024: Plenty of pints were consumed at the Brick City Beer and Wine Festival on Saturday.
As part of the festival, three bands competed in the Battle of the Bands.
When the competition was over, The Horde of Culture emerged the winner.
The band was selected from a three-judge panel. The judges were volunteers including a musician from a local band, a representative from the nonprofit Kimberly’s Center and a staff member from Wind-FM.
The Horde of Culture came in 2nd place at last year’s Battle of the Bands.
The band plays mostly covers and will be performing this Saturday, April 6, at Gambler 500 in Ocklawaha.
Wind-FM’s Hunter Wallace and Scott Chase emceed the competition.
Congratulations to all participants!
ORIGINAL, 3/19/2024: The Brick City Beer and Wine Festival returns to downtown Ocala on Saturday, March 30, from 2 to 6 p.m. This annual community gathering not only promises an afternoon full of fun, but also a unique opportunity to support three local charities.
Get ready to sample a multitude of beers and wines while enjoying live music and local food trucks. 352today’s sister radio station, Wind-FM, hosts the Battle of the Bands with three local finalists going head-to-head: The Horde of Culture, XpeakerBox, and Ethan White.
“Wind-FM is proud to support local music with our third annual Battle of the Bands,” said Hunter Wallace, Wind-FM program director and co-host of the Hunter and Dupree Morning Show. “There’s a lot of great talent right here in North Central Florida. As the community gathers to enjoy drinks and support three wonderful charities, Wind-FM’s Battle of the Bands will provide the musical entertainment.”
The first-place winner for the Battle of the Bands will receive $600 cash and they’ll also open for Wind-FM’s Rocks the Reilly Queen tribute, Absolute Queen, on July 20. The second-place winner gets $300, and the third-place winner will receive $100.
What’s on tap?
It doesn’t matter if you’re a beer aficionado or a wine enthusiast, with more than 40 beer and wine vendors participating, there’s something for everyone. There will also be a selection of non-alcoholic beers available for those who want the taste without getting tipsy and a Kids’ Soda Saloon.
A selection of the area’s best food trucks will be serving a variety of delicious eats. Plus, there’s a special area to keep the little ones entertained, making it a family-friendly event. While you’re there, pick up a 50/50 raffle ticket or two, and check out a variety of unique craft vendors.
The Brick City Beer and Wine Festival is more than just an event. The festival helps provide funding for three local charities: Interfaith Emergency Services, Kimberly’s Center for Child Protection, and the Marion County Literacy Council.
Meet the charities:
Interfaith Emergency Services provides crucial support for those in need, offering food, shelter, and a variety of much-needed services. “If you think about anything you need on an average day, those are our services,” said Karla Greenway who has been the CEO for Interfaith Emergency Services for nearly 14 years. “We provide food. We provide hygiene items. We provide clothing, shelter, medication, and then any other ancillary services that go with those.”
Greenway says she has seen more “regular, working-class people” and retirees who are utilizing Interfaith’s services. “We’re just struggling now with the increase in the cost of homeowners insurance and groceries and all the other things. Anybody on a fixed income is really struggling right now because their fixed incomes didn’t go up with inflation.”
Kimberly’s Center for Child Protection champions the cause of children exposed to abuse and neglect, providing them with a safe haven and the support they need to heal. “We provide services annually for about 1,400 children right here in Marion County,” said Kristina Donohue, development coordinator for Kimberly’s Center for Child Protection. “We provide services for kids who have been exposed to child abuse and/or neglect. That can look different for each child, but we really walk alongside these kiddos. So after an allegation of abuse or neglect is made through the Department of Children and Families, the children will come to us if they meet our criteria for services.”
Marion County Literacy Council opens doors through education, offering services ranging from reading and writing support to GED preparation and English language learning. “We serve about 500 aspiring adults every year who are either trying to learn to read and write the English language or are trying to earn their GED, their high school equivalency degree, or who are trying to become more capable, more confident speakers of the English language,” board member R.J. Jenkins said. “You know, life happens in language, relationships happen in language. Our work happens in language. We parent in language. So, people who don’t have full access to language really don’t have full access to anything else.”
Jenkins adds, referring to his colleagues from Interfaith and Kimberly’s Center, “I can’t think of two other nonprofits I’d be more honored to sit next to. We all have our individual missions, but a lot of times we’re working across organizations and across missions to help people who are really in need on multiple fronts. So, being able to do that is incredible.”
How did the Brick City Beer and Wine Festival begin?
Greenway says that it all started with the Silver Springs Rotary Club. “They realized it was too big of an event for one club to do alone, so they partnered with Sunset Rotary Club,” she said. “Back in the beginning, they would just do one charity every year and they would swap them out. I think after they worked with all three of our charities they were like, ‘Wow! What if we had the collective effort of everybody?’ because every charity took it to a new level.” She adds that having Wind-FM partner with them has helped make it one of the most well put-together events in our community.
What you need to know:
- When: March 30, 2-6 p.m.
- Where: Citizens’ Circle, 151 SE Osceola Ave., downtown Ocala
- Tickets: general admission-$50, early access-$60
- Advance Purchase: Get your tickets in advance and avoid the lines.