A crowd of more than 1,200 flocked downtown Saturday for “Westoberfest.” / Photos by Gretchen Webster
Officials of the Westport Downtown Association, which sponsored “Westoberfest,” were on hand to check IDs and sell tickets at the organization’s annual beer-tasting festival. The event, which attracted a crowd that exceeded expectations, was a huge success, they said. From left: Maxx Crowley, association president; Josh Allen, vice president in lederhosen, and John Belpedio, treasurer, checking IDs.
Taryn Green pours a brew.

By Gretchen Webster

WESTPORT — The sun was shining, the beer was flowing and well over 1,000 people were enjoying “Westoberfest,” the downtown beer festival, under bright autumn skies Saturday. 

The event, organized by the Westport Downtown Association, was “a huge success,” according to Maxx Crowley, president of the association.

“It’s incredible,” he said. “Last year, we sold 800 tickets and this year we stopped counting at 1,200.” 

“Westoberfest” scenes, at left,  Westporters Michelle and Justin Gonzalez with their dog, Mila, and above, baby Emma Mataja visited the fete with her mother, Lauren, and Kevin Bidgood. / Photos by Gretchen Webster

Besides more than 70 craft beers to sample, Westoberfest featured live music, a special area for kids’ crafts and vendors.

“It’s super fun and a good excuse to invite all my friends to Westport,” commented Caroline Green of Westport. Among her visiting friends Saturday were Kerry Nelson, and her daughter, Izzy, 2, who rode around the festive crowd in a surrey covered wagon.

Hudson Ferrara, 6, left, decorated a pumpkin; Izzy Nelson, 2, above, took in the festival fun from a red wagon. / Photos by Gretchen Webster

Relaxing on a bench at the edge of the crowd were Alisa Trugerman, and her husband Jack Davidoff. They come every year, the couple said.  “It’s nice to be out and walk up and down,” she said, “and to see a mixture of ages here.”

Her husband said he was happy that store and restaurant spaces that were empty during the pandemic are being rented again in downtown Westport. “It’s good to see,” he said.

Above: Alisa Trugerman and Jack Davidoff enjoy their beer.

Right: Lisa Lilly hands out beer can “koozies” to festival goers. / Photos by Gretchen Webster

One of the main goals of the popular event is to bring Westporters and people from other communities to downtown, said John Belpedio, treasurer of the Westport Downtown Association. “We get a lot of people coming to the downtown area,” he said. “It gives our merchants visibility.” 

Josh Allen, vice president of the association decked out in lederhosen to fit in with the beer-fest theme, agreed. “Attendance is up tremendously from last year — up 30 percent,” he said.

Amber Anchor performed music, above, and Bridgewater Chocolate, right, distributed free samples. / Photos by Gretchen Webster

Michelle Gonzalez, a Westport resident who has come to Westoberfest “since year one,” was there with her husband Justin and their Old English bulldog, Mila.

“It brings different people from different towns to Westport,” she said. “This brings people together.”

Freelance writer Gretchen Webster, a Fairfield County journalist and journalism teacher for many years, was editor of the Fairfield Minuteman newspaper for 10 years and currently teaches journalism at Southern Connecticut State University.

Mike Hibbard invited “Westoberfest” crowds to another fall event sponsored by a Westport nonprofit, “Westport Uncorked, “ the Westport Sunrise Rotary’s wine tasting gala, set for Nov. 18 at the Inn at Longshore. / Photo by Gretchen Webster