Annual Short’s party to once again benefit local DDA

By: 
Dave Lein, Editor

Courtesy photo

Crowds of 3,000 people or more are expected to fill Downtown Bellaire this Saturday, April 27 for “Anni Party 15,” celebrating the 15th anniversary of Short’s Brewery. The event will include local beers, food and live entertainment from 4-9 p.m.

 

BELLAIRE – It’s back – this time for the 15th year.

Instead of vehicles and the last remnants of winter, Bridge Street downtown Bellaire will again be filled on Saturday, April 27 with locals and visitors helping celebrate the founding of Short’s Brewery.

Similar to past events, this year’s festivities – scheduled from 4-9 p.m. – will include an array of Short’s brews, local food and live music. Another “Anni Party 15” element that will be on tap is the brewery’s commitment to the community it calls home.

“Yes, once again, we will be sharing the love and donating proceeds from the Anni Party 15 celebration to the Village of Bellaire Downtown Development Authority to assist with improvements and beautification within The Village of Bellaire and beyond,” said Short’s owner, Joe Short.

According to Short, that amount spread over monthly payments will top $100,000 ($97,302 since May 2016) following this year’s party.

He said a sampling of projects the money has helped to fund – or fund entirely – includes:

  • Restoration of the Community Hall – “Currently underway and contracted with Crosshatch to facilitate the process.” 
  • Spearheaded Antrim County Pitch Night – “which generated $15,000 in cash prizes for business start-ups.”
  • Emma's Way – “created a beautiful space to be enjoyed day or night, encourages visitors to utilize valuable parking lots and provides for rich history of our town. It has also spurred the Historical Society to create a Bellaire History Walk.”  
  • Worked with the DDA “to develop and approve a TIF plan that will generate funds to be spent directly on the downtown.”

 

“Our first few years we invested heavily in two different (DDA) directors who we wanted to work full-time on our agenda,” Short said. “We later decided to soak up the bulk of that work within the board to have extra dollars to focus on more specific projects.

“Our primary objective at this time is to restore the Community Hall and turn it back into a public space – with public restrooms. We also have some good parking ideas in the mix too,” he added. 

Other projects Short said the DDA is reviewing for 2019 and beyond include:

 

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Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 313
Bellaire, MI 49615
Phone: 231-533-5651
Fax: 231-533-4662
 
Physical Address: 
4470 S. M-88 Hwy.
Bellaire, MI 49615

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