Starved Rock Country

Drinkin’ with Lincoln Brewfest brings breweries, wineries, distilleries to downtown Ottawa

2-day fest to feature 12 beverage vendors

By Ryan Searl
Drinkin' With Lincoln brew fest returns to downtown Ottawa. Photo provided by the Ottawa Visitors Center

Drinkin' With Lincoln brew fest returns to downtown Ottawa. Photo provided by the Ottawa Visitors Center

Raise a glass and celebrate all things local at the Drinkin’ with Lincoln Brewfest, a two-day celebration of Illinois breweries, wineries and distilleries – held right in the heart of downtown Ottawa. This fan-favorite fest returns to Ottawa’s Jackson Street, directly next to Washington Square Park, July 25 and 26.

Quench your thirst with a fantastic lineup of beer vendors from across the state, along with a curated selection of wineries, meaderies and distilleries. The lineup for the 2025 Drinkin’ With Lincoln includes Tangled Roots Brewing Company, Nik & Ivy Brewing Co, Unpossible Mead, August Hill Winery, Whiskey Acres Distilling, Star Union Spirits, Obscurity Brewing, Noon Whistle Brewing, Maplewood Brewery & Distillery, Revolution Brewing, Firestone Walker Brewing Co. and Go Brewing.

Mike Billy of Tangled Roots Brewing Company of Ottawa pours a beer during the inaugural Drinkin' with Lincoln brew fest Saturday, July 27, 2024, at Washington Square in Ottawa.

Mike Billy of Tangled Roots Brewing Company of Ottawa pours a beer during the inaugural Drinkin' with Lincoln brew fest Saturday, July 27, 2024, at Washington Square in Ottawa. (Derek Barichello)

Tickets will be available at the gate and online at VisitOttawaIL.com/event/drinkin-with-lincoln. An early bird ticket ticket special gets you 28 tasting tickets for $25. At the door ticket pricing will be $1/ticket. 2 tickets will get you a 3 oz. beer sample or 1 oz. spirit sample, while 7 tickets will get you a 16 oz. beer or 5 oz. spirit pour.

In addition to this wide array of beverages, you can enjoy two full days of live music featuring performances by local favorite bands and singer-songwriters, including the popular tribute act 80’s Bush (Friday, 6 to 9 p.m.), the jazzy sounds of David Hillacre Trio (Saturday, noon to 2 p.m.), original Americana tunes by Aaron Kelly (Saturday, 3 to 5 p.m.) and retro rock and roll by Rosie and the Rivets (Saturday, 6 to 9 p.m.). A variety of food trucks also will be set up along the festival site.

For more information and to see some of the fun Lincoln-themed merch that be pre-ordered or bought at the festival, head to Visitottawail.com/event/drinkin-with-lincoln.

Maxwell Mormann works the levers of this front end loader Sunday, July 28, 2024, during the Touch A Truck event in Ottawa. The event, part of Friendship Days, was sponsored by the Illinois Valley Contractors Association, the Illinois Valley Labor Management Fund and the Illinois Valley Trades.

Maxwell Mormann works the levers of this front end loader Sunday, July 28, 2024, during the Touch A Truck event in Ottawa. The event, part of Friendship Days, was sponsored by the Illinois Valley Contractors Association, the Illinois Valley Labor Management Fund and the Illinois Valley Trades. (Tom Sistak for Shaw Media)

The festivities don’t end there, Ottawa’s popular Touch A Truck event returns for its 5th year on Sunday, following Drinkin’ With Lincoln. This family-friendly, kid-focused event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 401 Clinton St. in Ottawa. The event is sponsored by Illinois Valley Contractors Association & Illinois Valley Builders Trades and is completely free to attend for all ages. The fest gives kids a rare opportunity to explore their favorite vehicles up close. See, touch, interact with dozens of unusual vehicles and talk to their operators. For more information, visit VisitOttawaIL.com/event/5th-annual-touch-a-truck/