The Anderson Valley Brew Fest 2025 held on May 10th just isn’t what it used to be. Looking back over the years we recall accounts of mud wrestling in the rain, nudity, drunk and disorderly conduct, and multiple DUIs.
In one bygone year Deputy Orell Massey had to escort a sodden reveler out. When the reveler asked him why, Massey replied, “You’re drunk,” to which the reveler replied quite soberly, “I’m at a beer festival!”
This year there were no DUIs or official drunk and disorderly arrests at all and there was definitely no mud wrestling. It seems that following Covid and the current political chaos, public celebration has toned itself down. The generally high spirits of the young are muted these days.
“The Big Lebrewski” was the theme for 2025 riffing off of the cult classic movie “The Big Lebowski” from 1998 with Jeff Bridges starring as “The Dude.” Many at the Brew Fest this year wore bathrobes in solidarity with “The Dude,” a dyed-in-the-wool slacker and famous beer drinker. His laid back attitude did indeed seem to permeate this year’s proceedings.
Traditionally attenders are encouraged to costume up either in keeping with the year’s theme or just for fun. Many antlered drinkers were spotted in honor of the AV Brewery mascot Barkley (an antlered bear). Local beauty Shay wore a spectacularly Teutonic outfit complete with Viking horned helmet and golden bowling ball bustier. There was a fifty-ish crowd dressed in classy Lebowski bowling league shirts. Many buxom young women attended wearing cleavage baring tops that left little to the imagination. What is it that brings beer and busty women together? Another girl had somehow cut an actual beer keg in half and inserted herself inside with the tapper ready to pour below her stomach.
There were the always delicious and nutritious tri-tip sandwiches with sautéed veggies available at the AV Lion’s Club booth. Indian Curry, Jamaican food, pizza and Fairall Farms sweets. With around 50 breweries pouring, it’s essential to have plenty of good food available to soak up all the alcohol.
The Firkin Tappers marching band livened things up throughout the day. How many bands actually have three big tubas on hand? Only oom-pah Beer Fest bands? Several other bands scattered around the grounds kept things hopping. The action was divided between the redwood grove on the right and the big grassy field on the far side of the Agriculture building on the left.
The whooping sound that the crowds make when a drinker loses control of their beer drinking glass and drops it was heard but not as often as in previous years. The weather was fine — a relief after last year when it poured, dampening both spirits and clothes. This was especially fortunate for those camping overnight nearby. Nobody likes a soggy tent and a soggy tent is even worse when you have a hangover.
At its peak in the past the Brew Fest probably attracted 5,000 attenders — there were about half that many attending this year. There were enough people to make it festive without veering into the craziness of the previous crowds. Hopefully Boonville and the Valley as a whole benefitted from the visitors through increased business. The vibe of the event was positive for sure.
In the end of “The Big Lebowski” we are are told that “The Dude Abides…” One explanation of the meaning of this is that, “One should enjoy the simple pleasures of life (like beer), be generally tolerant of others, maintain equanimity in the face of adversity, and encourage others to do the same.” It is hard to argue with that.
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