I don’t usually associate farmers’ markets and beer contests, but that unlikely pairing will be featured at Civic Center Park tomorrow afternoon.
The Green Beer Olympics will be held during the Saturday Berkeley Farmers’ Market. The contest consists of three events: keg toss, hop sack race, and arm wrestling (by weight class). Entry is $10 and there are separate men’s and women’s competitions.
According to Daniel Del Grande, owner and brewer of Bison Brewing, tomorrow’s event is the fourth Green Beer Olympics, but the first in Berkeley. Previous events have been in San Francisco.
“It’s having fun in the park,” Del Grande said. Past editions have had about 30 contestants who do all events, but the sack race attracts up to 60 contestants. Del Grande said he’s pretty handy at the keg toss, but is excluded from winning. (Tip to contestants from Del Grande: use a discus-like technique rather than a shot put technique. Some people can toss the 10-pound keg up to 35 yards.)
The Green Beer Olympics is being co-sponsored by Bison Brewing and the Ecology Center. All proceeds go to supporting the Berkeley Farmers’ Markets. Bison was founded in Berkeley in 1989 and was organic certified in 2002.
Registration for the Olympics opens at 11 a.m. and the first contest, the keg toss, will be at noon.
