Take Your Beer For a Walk: A Festivus For the Rest of Us

Jeff McCullor

Take your beer for a chilly walk with Jeff McCullor as he explores the Griswold area, eventually ending up at the annual Festivus celebration happening on Dec. 23 at the Concourse at Union Station.

Ah, December. We made it! You should celebrate with a frosty local beer and a casual jaunt through our fair city to continue taking full advantage of our open container privileges. We're going to double dip this month and go for our usual guided walk through town and end up at a certain venue hosting a marquee holiday event. You could say it's a Festivus miracle!

Alright, so grab your container, make it open, and let's begin at the corner of West 12th and Sassafras streets, home to the Erie Times-News since 1970. Erie's lone full scale news publication enjoyed many a decade as our town's most comprehensive news source publishing not one, but two newspapers daily. The building was once bustling with so many people it felt like it may bust at the seams, an environment that's quite different now. Cheers to you, hardworking folks of the once-regal Erie Times-News!

Next let's walk south along Sassafras, under the railroad viaduct that's been wonderfully painted by artists sponsored by Logistics Plus. We want to end up at 1626 Sass, home to Larry's Central Market, a third-generation neighborhood grocer that's been in business at this location since 1963. Larry's arguably makes some of the best sausages in town and provides much-needed grocery services for the Little Italy neighborhood in which it resides. The proper slogan "Nobody Beats Larry's Meat" (chuckle) is printed on t-shirts inside the store and makes a great Christmas gift. Cheers to you, Larry's Central Market!

From Larry's corner, turn around in place so you face due east. The crazy-big plaza across the street once held Erie's first fully-enclosed shopping mall, appropriately dubbed the Erie Central Mall. Clever, huh? Opened in 1963, it was part of an "urban renewal project" that included inviting large chain retailers directly into the urban core, an ironic departure from our community's current efforts of prioritizing local shopping. Now the entire building serves all sorts of tenants and provides a great parking lot for doing donuts in the winter (don't get busted!). Cheers to you, former Erie Central Mall!

Next, let's walk around the block shall we? Grab a few sips along the way because we want to walk south to West 18th Street, then east to Peach Street, then north heading under the second railroad viaduct of the day. We want to end up at the corner of West 14th and Peach streets, home to The Brewerie at Union Station, Erie's original brewpub and home to Festivus on Dec. 23.

From your vantage point at the corner, you'll see a series of tall windows facing Griswold Park and behind those windows is the Grand Concourse at Union Station, home to Festivus 2025 on Dec. 23, where you'll enjoy a slew of time-honored Seinfeld-based traditions to make this holiday event unlike any other. It's a perfect scenario to either bring (or ditch) your family before the holidays get into full swing.

In its 10th year, Festivus loads up your dance card with local bands, food, beer, and cocktails interspersed through the programming featuring: Feats of Strength, the Airing of Grievances, and the time-honored Festivus pole. Emceed by local comedian Anthony Morelli, it's a time to cut loose and enjoy a full night of pop culture alongside great friends and hilarity. Local bands include Eastern Recluse, SANIS, and Vices, with food from The Que Abides Pit Stop and drinks from Erie Ale Works and The Brewerie at Union Station. As usual, Matt Lebowitz will host Seinfeld trivia (study up on Season Three).

Oh, and one more thing is up the collective sleeves of Erie Ale Works and The Brewerie – a collaboration beer to further enhance your celebratory mood while partying with the rest of us. A special India Pale Ale is in the works and will be unveiled at Festivus. Maybe you can take a pint of this IPA for a walk some day?

Phew, that was a lot. Thanks for being cool and coming on a walk with me, and be sure to check out the 10th Annual Festivus!

Festivus takes place on Tuesday, Dec. 23 // 5 to 10 p.m. // The Concourse at Union Station, 123 W. 14th St. // $12 in advance, $15 at the door // For tickets and info: eriealeworks.com

Jeff McCullor is the co-owner of Erie Ale Works. He can be reached at jeff@eriealeworks.com