This year marks the 16th Annual Southern Brewers Festival, presented by Big River Grille & Brewing Works, to be held in downtown Chattanooga on Saturday, August 28, 2pm-12am. Again for the fifth consecutive year the sole beneficiary of the festival proceeds will benefit Chattanooga's Kids on the Block.

This year the festival will feature over 30 of the Southeast's most notable microbreweries and will showcase over 75 premium handcrafted ales and lagers on Riverfront Parkway. In addition to the vast selection of beer, musical entertainment including Big Head Todd & The Monsters will take the stage during the festival.

Advance general admission tickets can be purchased for $15 per person online at www.southernbrewersfestival.com. General admission tickets include a commemorative mug and one token towards the purchase of the first beer. Again this year the festival will host the very popular "Party on the Pier." A limited number of "Party on the Pier" tickets will be available in advance online for $75/individual and $125/couple. These special "Party on the Pier" tickets include private party on the Pier, a commemorative mug and one token towards the purchase of the first beer, complimentary beer and food provided by Big Rive Grille & Brewing works and preferred seating for the evenings live entertainment.

Chattanooga's Kids on the Block will receive the net profit from this one-day event to assist in its operating budget. Over the past four years, Big River Grille & Brewing Works has presented donations from the festival totaling over $350,000 to Chattanooga's Kids on the Block to assist in their efforts to educate children in our region.

For the past 30 years, CKOB features life size puppets designed to teach children and adults about social concerns and differences in a non-threatening manner giving them skills to stay safe and healthy. The programs are free of charge to schools in twelve different counties thanks to our funding from United Way, Tennessee Department of Children's Services, Chattanooga Area Brain Injury Association, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Tennessee Donor Services, Sertoma Club of Chattanooga, Civitan Club, and Kiwanis Club among others, individual donors and fundraisers such as Southern Brewers Festival.

For more information, visit www.southernbrewersfestival.com, www.kidsontheblock.net or call the CKOB office at 423-757-5259 or Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group at 423-424-2000.