New Orleans on Tap: Drinking beer for a doggone good cause

By Meredith Acocella

It’s Oktoberfest o’clock somewhere.

The kissing booth at New Orleans on Tap

Last Saturday, the Louisiana SPCA teamed up with The Bulldog to put on “New Orleans on Tap,” a beer festival benefitting animals and beer aficionados alike. In addition to over 200 local and national beers to sample, the festival boasted performances by Rotary Downs and Flow Tribe to round out its awesome lineup.

Immediately upon entering the festival, located in the lovely-as-ever City Park, a kissing booth awaited. Only the smoocher in this scenario had four legs and used a lot more tongue.

I hail from Connecticut, and one of the only things I miss about my hometown is the New England fall season. On the first day of October, however, both the beer and the air had a refreshing crispness to them. It almost felt like a true autumn day. Almost.

Admission to the event was free, but tickets for beer samples were sold individually for $1, or in bundles of 22, 48, and 120 for $20, $50, and $100 respectively. I indulged in the $20 option and can assure that it did the trick. It felt like cashing in on arcade tickets but the prize was a lot better than bouncy balls and colorful erasers.

The SPCA also had an all-day doggy adoption tent set up in addition to the beer and live music. (I don’t think humans are the only ones who get cuter with a few in ya.) One all-white American Bulldog named Crescent struck my fancy. Wearing his neon “Adopt Me” vest, he sat there calmly but would lend a sympathetic bark here and there to the other more riled-up K-9 attendees. Most festival-goers had their own pooches in tow as well, making the whole scene kid, adult, and pet-lover friendly.

It should not go unmentioned that with free cabs for the festival attendees, the festival planners were clearly dedicated to getting both the canines and humans to safe homes.

All I kept thinking as I drank my beer on that beautiful day in front of the stage with the 50-foot inflatable Abita bottle, surrounded by cute pups everywhere was: these people get it.