Are you into helicopter hangars, craft beverages, food trucks, live music or hard ciders? If so, then learning the finer details of hard cider production while jamming to live music in a converted helicopter hangar must sound like a dream.
According to Jessica Wisor, marketing manager at 2 Towns Cider, this can become a reality for anyone over 21 years old at the 13th annual Two Towns Harvest Party in their Corvallis production facility on SW Hout Street.
Wisor said that the party will be on Saturday, Oct. 14 from noon to 9:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite and are $20 in advance (recommended due to high expected turnout), $25 at the door or $5 for a designated driver.
Wisor also noted that a shuttle service will run to and from the event every 30 minutes from five stops around Corvallis, starting at 11:30 a.m. The post on Eventbrite lists stops at the Skate Park on SW 2nd Street, Sharon’s Cafe on SW 3rd Street, Fred Meyer on NW Kings Boulevard and the Timberhill Shopping center between Ross and Burn Boot Camp.
Wisor revealed that the musical lineup will include DJ Casey Vann and four other local artists: Malange, Ida Jane and the Weekend Gardeners, Ludicrous Speed and The Incompatibles.
Wisor also added that 2 Towns will be offering tours of their production facility which is normally closed to the public and is housed in a former helicopter hangar.
Danelle Kronmiller, the director of marketing for 2 Towns Ciderhouse listed the variety of locally sourced and brewed beverages that will be featured at the event including Craftwell Cocktails, Nectar Creek Mead, SeekOut Hard Seltzers, TeaREX Hard Teas and, of course, ciders–one of which will be poured from a pumpkin, Wisor said.
Both Wisor and Kronmiller said that patrons looking for a non-alcoholic option can also join in the fun by sampling one of 2 Town’s new non-alcoholic ciders or other beverages.
According to Kronmiller, the Harvest Party started 13 years ago in 2010 when 2 Towns first opened its doors to the public in Corvallis. As the company grew, so did the party, with Wisor noting that 3,500 to 7,000 people are expected to attend this upcoming weekend.
Kronmiller said that the Harvest Party has become a way of thanking the Corvallis community for support, with the net profits of this year’s event going to the Unity Shelter, a local shelter.
Kronmiller said that 2 Towns is also giving back to OSU, the alma mater of CEO and Head Cider Maker Lee Larsen, with the 2 Towns Ciderhouse Change Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to underrepresented student(s) in OSU’s fermentation science program.
According to Kronmiller, “2 Towns” refers to the two hometowns of the company’s founders: Eugene and Corvallis.
Kronmiller said that, when it was time to choose the location of the 2 Towns headquarters between Eugene and Corvallis, they settled on Corvallis.
“You could say that the Beavs won,” she said. “You could say we won that toss.”