On Saturday afternoon, runners in green wigs, shamrock capes, and maybe even the occasional tutu will gather outside with a simple mission: drink a beer, run a little, drink another, and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day as part of the St. Paddy’s Day Beer Mile-ish.
The fifth annual beer mile-ish returns to Estes Park on Saturday, March 14, inviting participants to jog or stroll roughly 0.8 miles between Avant Garde Aleworks and Lumpy Ridge Brewing Company while enjoying three beers along the way. The event begins at 4 p.m., though festivities start earlier in the afternoon, and organizers say the race is less about speed and more about camaraderie and community.
“The Beer Mile-ish really came out of trying to promote Highway 7 in general,” said Nick Smith, owner of Lumpy Ridge Brewing Company. “Highway 7 isn’t a hot part of town per se, so we were just trying to do something fun that would bring people out and include these other businesses to have fun out here and get people interested in our little corridor.”
The route begins and ends this year at Avant Garde Aleworks, located at 920 Dunraven St., though organizers alternate the start location between the two breweries each year to share the spotlight.
“We switch off where you start and finish every year,” Smith said. “Last year everyone started and finished at our place, and this year they’re going to start and end at Avant Garde. It evens it out because that’s ultimately where people are going to end up.”
Participants will begin by finishing their first beer at Avant Garde before heading up the road to Lumpy Ridge for another. Once that glass is empty, racers return to Avant Garde for their third and final beer, which officially stops their race time. While some participants take the race seriously, most see it as a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon outside.
“There’s definitely a race component,” explained Alex Shaughnessy, taproom and communications manager for Avant Garde Aleworks. “We have a couple of people who come out every year and they’re there to win and compete. The prize is more bragging rights than a physical prize.”
Over the years, a small group of returning runners has formed something of an informal rivalry.
“They recognize each other from previous years and kind of know who their competition is,” Shaughnessy said. “That’s a fun aspect of it.”
Costumes are strongly encouraged and have become part of the tradition. In past years, participants have shown up in full St. Patrick’s Day regalia, retro ski outfits, colorful wigs and sparkly jackets.
“It’s kind of a choose-your-own-adventure in the costume department,” Shaughnessy said.
The event also encourages participants to explore other nearby businesses along the route. Racers receive a “pot of gold” punch card that can be stamped at participating stops, including La Cocina de Mama, The Bull Pin, and Cousin Pat’s Pub & Grill.
Once all stops are completed, participants can turn in their punch card for a chance to win a prize pack valued at about $125 made up of gift certificates from the participating businesses.
“Each of us offers a $25 gift certificate,” Smith said. “You have to go in and buy something to get your punch, so they get that action, and then hopefully they come back with the gift certificate for all of us.”
Registration costs $35 and includes three beers along the course, a race bib and a commemorative baseball hat for the first 50 people who sign up. Organizers also added a non-alcoholic registration option this year so more people can participate.
Turnout has varied since the event launched five years ago, with attendance ranging from about 20 to 100 participants depending largely on the weather. Last year’s race drew visitors from outside the Estes Valley, including a group from Denver that now makes the event an annual tradition.
“We’re shooting for 50-plus people this year,” Shaughnessy said. “Weather’s a big one, whether or not people want to make the trek. But I think this year should be a good one.”
Following the race, participants can stick around for a post-run celebration at Avant Garde Aleworks featuring live music from Jason Lenz from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. For Smith and Shaughnessy, the real goal of the beer mile-ish has always been bringing people together while highlighting a quieter stretch of Estes Park’s business community.
“I think the event has kind of grown beyond St. Patrick’s Day to just be a celebration of Highway 7 that happens to fall around that time,” Shaughnessy said. “It’s really about getting people out, having fun and supporting the businesses along the way.”
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