GRAND RAPIDS AND KALAMAZOO, Mich — Grand Rapids mayor George Heartwell will toast the city’s Beer City USA designation with the mayor of Kalamazoo next week.
Bobby Hopewell will join him for a brewery tour at Founders Brewing Co. on Tuesday, July 23, and then they will celebrate with a toast. It all starts at 4 p.m., but the tour is private. The toast should happen between 5 p.m. and 5:15 p.m.
Grand Rapids was designated Beer City USA earlier this year from Examiner.com, and Kalamazoo finished in second place.
The mayors decided they will call our area BeerRegion USA, according to a media release.
“We will celebrate the recent award in the spirit of camaraderie that both the southwest Michigan cities enjoy,” Hopewell said in a media release.
Following the Grand Rapids event, Mayor Heartwell heads to Kalamazoo on July 25 at 4:30 p.m. That day, Heartwell and Hopewell will attend the Taste (and Brew!) of Kalamazoo Festival, then tour Bell’s Brewery and Eccentric Cafe, then visit the under-construction Arcadia Brewing Company site.
