Ligonier library Books and Brew returns, benefits programs
Guests age 21 or older are invited to pull a cork and raise some money for the Ligonier Valley Library at its May 3 Books and Brew tasting event.
Introduced in 2017, the event was on hiatus last year during renovations at the library, at 120 W. Main St., Ligonier. It’s back again this year, from 6 to 8 p.m., offering those who haven’t visited in a while an opportunity to check out the library’s updated space while sampling libations from area breweries and distilleries.
“Now that the work on the library is all done, we hope to make it an annual event,” chairwoman Stacey Strecker said, noting, “We have our new Diamond Room that overlooks the Ligonier Diamond.”
The town’s central Diamond Park also underwent a recent makeover. Local furniture designer Paul Sirofchuck transformed wood from trees felled during that project into a new tables for the library.
Other updated library features include a new circulation desk, also crafted by Sirofchuck, and sliding glass doors at the main entrance.
Among establishments expected to provide samples for the Books and Brew tasting tables are Old Towne Distillery of Stoystown, Irwin’s Country Hammer Moonshine distillery, Stone Bridge Brewing Company of Johnstown and Whitehorse Brewing, which has locations in Berlin and Washington.
Reservations for the event cost $25 and can be made in person at the library. For an additional $10, those attending may pull a numbered cork from a basket to win a bottle of wine, growler or spirit.
The evening also will include live music, an assortment of finger food and raffles.
“It’s a fun way of raising some extra money,” Strecker said of the event, which benefits programs at the library. “We want to continue to bring more for children, young adults and adults, but all of that costs money. For some of our programs we are able to get sponsors, but for others, fundraising is important.”
The inaugural Books and Brew in 2017 attracted 240 people, helping the library make new connections in the community, Strecker said.
“We had people come in that we never saw before,” she said. “It really brought in a whole different group of people, including young adults.”
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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