This Saturday, September 12, Rubicon Brewery and the Northern California Brewers Guild will present the 4th annual Midtown Community Festival to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento.

"This will be a fun-filled day of food, music and games where attendees will get a great feeling of being part of our community," Rubicon owner Glynn Phillips said. "I'm hoping everyone comes out for a plate of ribs and a pint of beer to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento."

The festival will include live performances by four local bands, fun games and activities for kids including a climbing wall and a jump house, raffle prizes and a walk-a-thon.

There will be a wide variety of food available, all donated by local merchants, featuring spicy pork ribs and barbecue from Rubicon and green and red tacos from Mulvaney's B&L Restaurant. Mulvaney's executive chef, Patrick Mulvaney, says green and red tacos are based on the cuisine of the American Southwest and are made from locally grown green chilies and tomatillos.

Mulvaney is excited to participate in this year's event because, "My philanthropic pattern has been geared towards helping children. The Midtown Community Festival is a unique event. Everything is donated, so 100 percent of the money raised goes to the Boys & Girls Clubs, which is very inspiring."

Also returning to the event is the ever popular Beer Garden, which features beer and wine tastings from 12 area breweries and wineries including Rubicon Brewery, Lost Coast Brewery, Two Rivers Cider Company, Revolution Wines and Madroña Vineyards.

Phillips started the Midtown Community Festival four years ago. "I wanted to give back to the youth in California and our community," he said. "And also to give back to the people who support my business (Rubicon Brewery)."

He said he hopes the proceeds from this event will allow the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento to continue to provide an outlet for local youth to participate in a variety of programs.

Boys & Girls Clubs have been serving children across America for over 100 years with the mission "to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens." Boys & Girls Clubs focus on five major program areas including: education and career development, sports, recreation and fitness, character and leadership development, health and life skills, and the arts.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento was started 12 years ago by Fred Teichert when he realized that Sacramento was the only capital city in the country without a Boys & Girls Club. The club is open to all youths ages 6 to 18 who live in the Greater Sacramento area.

It offers activities every Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 7 p.m. that include homework help, computer training, visual arts, cooking, and sports. There are currently 12,733 registered members in the Sacramento area. Membership is $12 per child for the school year, which runs from September through June.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento has several fundraisers throughout the year. Judy McCurry, the Boys & Girls Clubs administrative coordinator, said she is excited for the Midtown Community Festival.

"It is a low-key event that is a lot of fun. It gets our name out to the community and gets a lot of community members involved in our organization," she added. In the past, the festival has raised $12,000 to $14,000 for the organization, and McCurry said they hope to earn $15,000 this year.

This family-friendly fundraiser will take place in front of Rubicon Brewery on Capitol Avenue between 20th and 21st streets from 1 to 6 p.m. Entrance to the event is free, but there is a charge for food and drink. Beer Garden tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate.

For more information or an application to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento, call (916) 392-1350, visit a club location or go online. 

Photos are courtesy of midtowngrid.com.