Rhinegeist Brewing and High Bank Distillery Provide Adult Beverages at 2023 Columbus Arts Festival

COLUMBUS, Ohio — There’s nothing better than strolling a summer festival with a cold beverage in hand, and at this year’s Columbus Arts Festival, Rhinegeist Brewing and High Bank Distillery will provide refreshing adult beverages for thirsty Festival guests. Presented by the American Electric Power Foundation and produced by the Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC), the Arts Festival takes place June 9-11.

Returning for a second year, Cincinnati-based Rhinegeist Brewery will host a beer garden in West Bank Park, with a selection of their beers, shaded seating and fun group games. This year Rhinegeist brewed a hoppy wheat ale named “Sketch” especially for the Columbus Arts Festival. Earlier this spring, members of the Columbus Arts Festival team visited the brewery in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood to assist with brewing the beer. Artwork for the beer’s marketing was created by Columbus artist April Sunami. Sketch will be available at the Rhinegeist Beer Garden and all beverage booths at the Festival. Guests eager to try it will also find it at select locations where Rhinegeist is on tap in Columbus.

“Rhinegeist was such a wonderful partner for us last year,” says Festival Director Alexis Perrone. “Not only do they bring us quality beer (and other beverages for folks who don’t love beer), but they also have the capacity to provide an extraordinary amount of onsite support during a large-scale event like ours. We’re proud to be supporting an Ohio brewery, in addition to all the Ohio artists who join us for the Festival.”

This year the Festival has partnered with Columbus’ High Bank Distillery to feature a trio of boozy slushies crafted with their award-winning spirits. Available at all beverage booths at the Festival, High Bank’s Signature Slushies include:

• Cranberry Lime Cosmo: Made with High Bank Vodka, the Cosmo strikes the perfect balance of citrus, tart and sweet.
• Whiskey Vanilla Root Beer: A twist on the refreshing classic, this beverage combines High Bank’s Whiskey War with root beer, caramel and vanilla.
• Whiskey Bramble: A juicy, tart and sweet summer smash, the Bramble enhances Whiskey War with blackberry and lemon.

“It’s a real treat to be able to feature High Banks’ spirits at the Columbus Arts Festival,” says Perrone. “They’ve been in the news recently for earning international recognition for their vodka, gin and whiskeys, and we’re excited that Festival guests get to cool off with a slushie built around those complex flavors.”

In addition to High Bank slushies and Rhinegeist beer, the Festival will feature Wine-in-a-Can from Cleveland’s Graham + Fisk, lemon shake-ups, Pepsi products and food both sweet and savory from nearly 40 food trucks and stands.

Festival Hours: Friday, June 9 from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 10 from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; and Sunday, June 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Please note: on Friday and Saturday artist booths close at 9 p.m.; artists have the option to stay open later.)

To volunteer at the Columbus Arts Festival, please go to columbusartsfestival.org/engage/volunteer/.

For more information on the Columbus Arts Festival, call (614) 221-8625 or visit columbusartsfestival.org.

Download the Columbus Arts Festival app through the Apple app store or Google Play at guidebook.com/app/cafg/.

For a selection of high-res images, visit the Festival’s press media page.

The Columbus Arts Festival is produced by the Greater Columbus Arts Council.

The 2023 Columbus Arts Festival is presented by the American Electric Power Foundation. Additional sponsors and partners include Art for Life, Bank of America, Bath & Body Works, Battelle, Cardinal Health, Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, COSI, Deloitte, Encova, Graeter’s, High Bank Distillery, Holiday Inn Downtown, Hotel LeVeque, Huntington, IGS Energy, JP Morgan Chase, The Junto, King Business Interiors, ML Concessions, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, The Ohio State University, OSA Technology Partners, Paul-Henri and Erika Bourguignon Charitable Trust, Pepsi, Priscilla R. Tyson Cultural Arts Center, Rhinegeist, Toyota, The Westin Great Southern Columbus, White Castle and Whole World Lemonade. Media sponsors include ABC6/FOX28, CD92.9, Dispatch Media Group, Lamar Outdoor, Ohio Magazine, Orange Barrel Media, RSVP, WCBE, WOSU Public Media and WSNY/Mix 107.9.

Mission of the Greater Columbus Arts Council: To support and advance the arts and cultural fabric of Columbus. www.gcac.org

The Greater Columbus Arts Council receives major financial support from the city of Columbus, Franklin County Commissioners, Ohio Arts Council and The Ohio State University. There are no funds from the city of Columbus, Franklin County or Ohio Arts Council used to support the production of the Columbus Arts Festival.

# # #