Combining local vendors with avian experience and trivia, the Ogden Nature Center will host the second annual Birds & Brews event on Friday, 29 September 2017.

With a focus on the local community, Birds & Brews brings together a creative and unsuspecting couplet of birds and food provided by local vendors, alongside trivia entertainment and a uniquely avian ambiance.

“My focus is to make this a fun, community-centered event that invites adults to have a good time at the Nature Center in a whole new way,” said Jessica Hutchins, the Lead Teacher-Naturalist and Community Programs Coordinator at the Nature Center.

The event includes eight samples from three different local vendors, as well as appetizers and Even Stevens sandwich bites. Local vendors such as Talisman Brewing, New World Distillery and Roosters Brewing will provide the beer and spirit samples.

“It’s been such a pleasure brainstorming with brewers and distillers and sandwich makers on how to match birds and treats together,” said Hutchins.

Adding a fun twist on the samples, the Nature Center has teamed up with the vendors to enhance the sample experience by bringing the food and drinks to life with avian names and trivia. For example, enjoying some red ale while learning about a Red-tailed Hawk, or a sip of gin while learning about the Western Screech owl — a bird who happens to nest in juniper trees.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure coordinating with them, matching their various beverage and food offerings and ‘pairing’ them with our education animals,” said Hutchins.

In addition to local food and drink samples, Birds & Brews has a slew of entertainment prepared for the night. “There will be a series of live animal presentations, where our expert naturalists will be sharing interesting — and maybe even surprising — facts about each of our education animals,” said Hutchins.

These facts will later come in handy during the pub-style trivia competition that will take place, hosted by local four-time Jeopardy champion, Tim Kutz. Two prize baskets are up as prizes for trivia winners at the end of the night.

The schedule of events is as follows: doors open for check-in at 5:45, followed by beverage samples and live animal presentations beginning at 6:00. The Trivia game will commence at 7:30 with prizes awarded at 8:45.

Birds & Brews has expanded from last year’s sold-out event of 50 tickets to an expansion of 100 ticket sales this year. However, tickets must be purchased ahead of time via online purchasing or calling as they are not sold at the door.

Tickets are $20 for Ogden Nature Center members, and $25 for the general public. You may purchase tickets by calling the Nature Center at 801-621-7595 or purchase them online at https://ogdennaturecenter.org

Tickets include eight beer and spirit samples, plus generous appetizers and sandwich-bites from Even Stevens. Full-size beverages (beer and cocktails) will be available for purchase after the animal presentations are complete. Low-point beer will be $5 and high-point beer and cocktails will be $8. No outside food or drink is allowed, per DABC rules. Please note that this is a 21 and older event.

The Ogden Nature Center is located at 966 W. 12th Street in Ogden, Utah.

Correction: tickets are still available.