Photos: 815 Ale Fest 2024 draws sold out crowd

February 3, 2024|By Kevin Haas|In 815 News, Local, Trending, Photo Gallery
Photos by Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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CHERRY VALLEY — The annual 815 Ale Fest drew a sold out crowd for the third year in a row with 500 people in attendance Saturday at the Tebala Event Center.

The event, now in its fifth year, is put on Mid-West Family Broadcasting radio stations — B103, 95.3 The Bull, 100FM and 104.9 The X — in partnership with Anderson Toyota.

This year’s winners were:

  • Best Brew: Urban Forest Craft Brewing, 6551 E. Riverside Blvd., suite 112, Rockford
  • Judge’s Choice: Lena Brewing Co., 9416 W. Wagner Road, Lena
  • People’s Choice: Hairy Cow Brewing Co., 450 E. Blackhawk Drive, Byron
More eat and drink: Johnny Pamcakes to expand offerings as it relocates from Cherry Valley to Belvidere

You can read the full story on the event HERE, or check out more photos below.

Photos | 815 Ale Fest 2024

815 Ale Fest
Elisha Maldonado dances in the photo booth on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, during 815 Ale Fest at Tebala Event Center in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Amy Mazzarese pours a drink on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, during 815 Ale Fest at the Tebala Event Center in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Ryan Sartori and Steve Summers from 95.3 The Bull give announcements on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, during 815 Ale Fest at Tebala Event Center. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Jovon Brown gets a craft beer sample on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, during 815 Ale Fest at Tebala Event Center in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Lashanda Flowers and Emily Kullberg dance in the photo booth on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, at 815 Ale Fest in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Melissa Seacrist cheers for the band Dead Man’s Hand on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, during 815 Ale Fest at Tebala Event Center in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
A sold out crowd fills Tebala Event Center on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, for 815 Ale Fest in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Christi Letsinger of Dead Man’s Hand performs Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, during 815 Ale Fest at Tebala Event Center in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Hop District
Chris Pohl, assistant brewer at Hop District of La Grange Park, talks with a customer as Hop District owner Shayne Hansen leans in on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, during 815 Ale Fest in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Chris Langguth, head brewer at Pig Minds Brewing Co., hands out a drink sample on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, during 815 Ale Fest in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Emilia Hickey dances in the photo booth on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, during 815 Ale Fest at Tebala Event Center in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Loretta Holte of Loretta Holte Photography and Nicole Proper demonstrate their 360 photo booth on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, during 815 Ale Fest in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Christi Letsinger of Dead Man’s Hand performs Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, during 815 Ale Fest at Tebala Event Center in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Jason Reynolds of Rockford and Brad Hentz of Warrenville wait in line as the first VIP guests of 815 Ale Fest on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, at Tebala Event Center in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Adrienne Shindledecker pours a drink on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, during 815 Ale Fest at Tebala Event Center. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Hammy greets guests on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, at 815 Ale Fest in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
A sold out crowd moves through 815 Ale Fest on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, at Tebala Event Center. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
815 Ale Fest was sold out on Feb. 3, 2024, at Tebala Event Center. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Kayla Harris pours a drink on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, during 815 Ale Fest in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
A Potosi Hazy Bluff sits in ice on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, at 815 Ale Fest in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Jim Torrisi of Generations Brewing Co. in Freeport hands a drink to Steve Summers on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, at 815 Ale Fest in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
815 Ale Fest was sold out with more than 500 people on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, at Tebala Event Center in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Loretta Holte of Loretta Holte Photography and Nicole Proper demonstrate their 360 photo booth on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, during 815 Ale Fest in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Amy Mazzarese pours a drink on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, during 815 Ale Fest at the Tebala Event Center in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Neal Angell poses for a photo on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, at 815 Ale Fest in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
815 Ale Fest winners pose for a photo on state with the 95.3 The Bull team on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, at Tebala Event Center in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
People fill the Tebala Event Center on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, for 815 Ale Fest. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Emilia Hickey dances in the photo booth on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, during 815 Ale Fest at Tebala Event Center in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Alex Cando, left, brewmaster and co-owner of Urban Forest, and Jon Lambert, head brewer and partner at Hairy Cow Brewing Co., congratulate each other on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, for their victories at 815 Ale Fest. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Loretta Holte of Loretta Holte Photography and Nicole Proper demonstrate their 360 photo booth on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, during 815 Ale Fest in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Jon Lambert, Alex Ortiz and Diana Lambert pose for a photo with their People’s Choice Award on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, at 815 Ale Fest in Cherry Valley. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

Photos by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas