Homegrown X showcases best of the Flower City

Party thrown by Lovin' Cup and Three Heads Brewing highlights the best in local food, beverage, and music.

Homegrown is a celebration of local craft beverages, food, and music.

So it’s really no surprise that as the Henrietta get-together is preparing for its 10th festival that it has roots in two of the region’s biggest Roc-focused cheerleaders: Lovin’ Cup co-founder Leslie Zinck Ward and Three Heads Brewing’s resident minister of mayhem Geoff Dale.

Homegrown X, which is actually the festival’s 10th edition in the past 12 years with two paused due to the pandemic, is a jam-packed, daylong celebration inside and outside of Lovin’ Cup Bistro and Brews, 300 Park Point Drive in Henrietta. It kicks off at noon Saturday.

“Rochester has a lot of awesome things going on here, and now there is this sense of pride,” Dale said. “It has really developed in the last 10 years. Any city is gonna have its worts, but we have something special, no pun intended, brewing. There is legitimately something amazing going on in this city. A lot of people take pride in it. Homegrown is a way to champion that experience, that belief.”

And like it has in years past, the festival, featuring more than 90 vendors, will essentially be three events in one as vendors rotate out every year hours (from noon to 3 p.m., 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and then 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.). Essentially, that means attendees can sample different foods and beers every three hours. Plus, the live music goes on all day.

Homegrown started as Three Heads’ birthday party. (It started as a contract brewery through Honeoye Falls-based CB Craft Brewers and graduated to a brick-and-mortar brewery when it opened its Neighborhood of the Arts space in 2016.) According to Dale, Ward and Lovin’ Cup were one of the first local spot that gave 3HB a draft line and ultimately believed in the brewery.

It developed into a friendship and a partnership, and ultimately, a yearly celebration.

“We’re not in this for ourselves,” Dale said. “The goal is to always try to bring other people along.”

“Our values align,” Ward said. “We really believe in embracing the culture of the city.”

For Homegrown X, the third time really is the charm. Originally, it was slated for 2021 and then 2022. But as some sense of normalcy returns, it’ll finally be held in 2023.

“Now, all things are going our way,” Dale said. “The Bills are playing on Sunday instead of Saturday (this week in the divisional playoff round against Cincinnati). Giddy up! You can try to recover from your hangover Sunday morning and then watch the Bills kick the crap out of the Bengals.”

And keep in mind that Dale is a Raiders fan. But he said at this time of year, everyone should be a member of the Bills bandwagon.

“I’ll be honest, it’s hard not to get behind Josh Allen,” Dale said. “The dude is just the truth.”

So what’s new and exciting for Homegrown X? Not a whole lot actually. That’s because Ward and Dale think they’ve found a formula that works and see little reason to change it.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Dale said. “It’s about getting together with some of the best people in the city and celebrating what makes the city rock. We have more than 90 vendors doing the best food, liquor, beer, wine, and music. They make the city amazing.”

“What’s special about this year is that we’ve had to put this on a hiatus for years, so we’re all just looking forward to it,” Ward. “I think we’re looking forward to having a communal event where we can rub elbows with each other.”

If you go…

It’s nearly impossible to find a better value right now. Tickets can be purchased online here: https://lovincup.com/homegrown/. And as a reminder, ticket prices increases the day of the event. Hope to see y’all there!

Happy hour for healthy hearts

Heart disease is the leading (preventable) killer in Rochester, according to one local nonprofit. And that group is teaming up with one of our region’s most civic-minded breweries to raise awareness and needed funds.

His Branches, a nonprofit community health center for all ages with clinics in the city’s 19th Ward and Beechwood neighborhoods, is hosting a happy hour for healthy hearts event from 5 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 2 at Three Heads Brewing, 186 Atlantic Ave.

A portion of every pint sold will be donated to His Branches, which offers educational opportunities and mobile monitoring for its patients. The goal is to increase length and quality of life for residents in traditionally under-served neighborhoods.

According to its mission statement, His Branches offers “neighborhood-based clinics in the 19th Ward and Beechwood communities” with the goal being “to remove social and economic barriers to bring hope, healing and restoration to our patients and neighbors through medical care and community development.” Clearly worth your support.

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