What could be more suitable for the month of October than a beer festival? And while the cool, crisp autumn weather didn't always cooperate—rain and gray skies threatened the festivities—6,500 beer-loving attendees didn't seem to mind, filling Pier 54 for the premiere Beer on the Pier festival.
Rick Cromer and Erin Dempsey of Cyclone Marketing conceived the idea of a large urban beer festival about three years ago, and in the last five months put together the sold-out event. (The festival also had a benefit.phpect to it, with a portion of its earnings going to the Friends of Gateway National Parks.)
Booths from over 100 breweries from around the world—including local establishments like Heartland Brewery and the Brooklyn Brewery—lined each side of the pier, under red tenting from Easy Up. All together, the breweries offered more than 200 different beers.
—Mark Mavrigian
Rick Cromer and Erin Dempsey of Cyclone Marketing conceived the idea of a large urban beer festival about three years ago, and in the last five months put together the sold-out event. (The festival also had a benefit.phpect to it, with a portion of its earnings going to the Friends of Gateway National Parks.)
Booths from over 100 breweries from around the world—including local establishments like Heartland Brewery and the Brooklyn Brewery—lined each side of the pier, under red tenting from Easy Up. All together, the breweries offered more than 200 different beers.
—Mark Mavrigian

Gray skies and rain didn't discourage a crowd of beer lovers at the first Beer on the Pier festival. Rows of red tenting lined the pier, where over 100 breweries presented more than 200 different beers.

At the end of the pier, a large stage featured five different acts, including the band Black 47.

Pier 54 juts out into the Hudson River from the meatpacking district and is maintained by the Hudson River Park Trust.