Interviews

Published on June 6th, 2018 | by Darren Paltrowitz

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Dan Silberstein On The 2018 New York Beer Fest At Citi Field & More

On July 21st, the inaugural New York Beer Fest will take over Citi Field, the home of Major League Baseball’s New York Mets. Spread over two sessions, the event will bring together over 80 craft breweries and 200 beers, as spread throughout the ballpark. The New York Beer Fest will also feature games, food and entertainment. General admission is $50, and for that fee festival-goers are entitled to unlimited beer tastings. Those with a few more bucks to spend can spring for VIP Admission, priced at $80, which includes early entry in addition to access to the field’s warning track and dugouts.

Dan Silberstein is the owner of the California-based event-planning organization Drink:Eat:Play, which is partnering with the Mets to put on the inaugural New York Beer Fest at Citi Field. I spoke with Silberstein about the event and more on behalf of The Hype Magazine. More on the event can be found on the MLB website, while more on Silberstein’s event can be found at www.drinkeatplay.com.

This year will have the inaugural NY Beer Fest at Citi Field. How long had this idea been in the works?

Dan Silberstein: In theory for years. We’ve partnered with other baseball stadiums around the county including Marlins Park, Nationals Park, and Triple A stadiums in Nashville, Indianapolis and El Paso. When the opportunity was presented to us with the Mets, it was a no brainer.

For someone thinking of coming to this year’s event, what should be expected? Anything besides beer?

Dan Silberstein: The event will not only feature 75 breweries and 200 beers — mostly local breweries and cideries — but various entertainment throughout including DJs, a 90s cover band, cornhole and other lawn games.

There will be two sessions of the event. Is there anything different between the two sessions?

Dan Silberstein: No, they’ll be completely identical.

How does it work in terms of tastings? Does general admission include unlimited tastings?

Dan Silberstein: Yes, both VIP and GA include unlimited tasting, with VIP including an added hour and access to the warning track and dugouts.

How did you wind up in the beer world?

Dan Silberstein: I had produced a BBQ festival in Los Angeles, and an attendee approached me that L.A. is now only missing a beer festival. This was 11 years ago, before the wave of beer festivals started and many breweries didn’t even exist. I had rented Sony Studios for the inaugural L.A. Beer Fest, and the event sold out. From there we added more cities in California and then expanded nationally.

What was the first live event you ever promoted?

Dan Silberstein: A Vegas-themed food and wine event in Santa Monica. The event was fantastic, but financially a disaster.

Is working with the Mets any different than working with other teams?

Dan Silberstein: Not at this point.

NY Beer Fest aside, what is coming up for you?

Dan Silberstein: We hare a Rare & Wild Beer Fest in Santa Monica, where breweries pour their rare and limited lines of beers on July 28th, a 90s Prom Party in Hollywood on June 16th, the San Diego Beer & Wine Festival on August 11th, and the Bay Area Brew Fest on August 18th.

When not busy with event promotion, how do you like to spend your free time?

Dan Silberstein: With my 16-month old son, two-year old Golden Retriever, and preparing for our second son in August.

What was the last concert you attended for fun?

Dan Silberstein: It’s been a while, but Ed Sheeran for my wife’s birthday.

Finally, Dan, any last words for the kids?

Dan Silberstein: There’s a lot of beer festivals in every city, but what makes a festival unique, in my opinion, is the venue. You really can’t beat a baseball stadium with all the nooks and spaces that allow you create various “lands” and entertainment. We try to create an adult Disneyland.


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About the Author

Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."


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