Founders says “thanks” to Grand Rapids with beer and music

GRAND RAPIDS — A festival surrounding an in-progress 40-million-dollar expansion made this year’s Founders Fest challenging, but not disappointing. The six-story-high fermenters towering over the fest made this year’s feel a little more special — a “tiny” reminder to the all of the people in attendance that they help make Founders the 17th largest brewery in the nation and still growing.

“This festival started [about nine years ago] as an opportunity to hopefully raise money to pay our property taxes; it has turned into a festival for about 7,000 of our closest friends,” said Mike Stevens, Co-Founder and CEO of Founders Brewing Co.

The festival is not just a celebration of great beer — music is also an immense part of the culture at Founders. Not one but two stages set the tone with eight different live music acts creating a rhythmic ambiance. The festival doesn’t officially kick off until the The FBC All-Stars play, according to Stevens.  Playing cover songs familiar to the crowd, the

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