The 69th Annual Rotary Auction and Brew on the Bay Craft Beer and Wine Fest will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday at the APlex, presented by the Rotary Club of Alpena.

The annual event is sponsored by Alpena Agency and Wolverine State Credit Union. Tickets are $25 per person, which includes six tastings and a souvenir tasting glass. Food vendors will also be on site.

“It started as a radio auction,” in 1954, said Rotary Club of Alpena Past President Robert Barrigar, who was named 2022 Rotarian of the Year. “Back in the day, 69 years ago, people would listen to the radio, and they would call in and Rotarians would be answering the phones, and they would be bidding on items that they saw in the newspaper or what was being advertised over the radio.”

Over the years, the event has evolved with changing technology, and the brewing aspect was added about seven years ago.

Courtesy Photo Rotary Club of Alpena members pose for a group shot.

“That eventually turned into an online auction, with the birth of the internet,” Barrigar explained. “And then, about seven years ago, we decided to change it up a little bit and make it an in-person event, and we created the Brew on the Bay.”

One of the Rotarians, Michelle Tippman, was at a Rotary Club event in Key West, Florida, and they had a craft brew event that she thought would do well in Alpena, so that’s where Brew on the Bay began, Barrigar said.

“She came back and said ‘This would be an awesome idea to bring to Alpena,'” Barrigar noted. “So we decided to turn it into a craft beer and wine tasting and we brought our radio auction to the APlex so people could do live bidding on all these items.”

This year’s event will feature over 20 craft breweries and wineries, mostly from Michigan. This event is for ages 21 and older.

“The vast majority are from Michigan,” Barrigar said.

There will also be over 150 valuable auction items for attendees to bid on, from local items and services to vacation getaways.

“They’re going to range anywhere from a local autobody repair shop auctioning off oil changes to deer processing to overnight stays and golf at the Grand Hotel,” Barrigar said.

There will also be raffles and a silent auction.

“It’s just a fun night all around, and a great event for Alpena,” Barrigar said.

“They can still bid online if they can’t make it,” Barrigar said.

To bid online, visit the Rotary Club of Alpena Facebook page.

Proceeds will help fund the expansion of the Splash Park at Starlite Beach, Barrigar said.

Get tickets at Wolverine State Credit Union, Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce, Robert Barrigar Farm Bureau Insurance, Perch’s IGA, or from any Rotarian.