In celebration of Summer in the City’s 31st year, festival organizers have added a new event they believe will change the face of this community’s longest-running summertime gala.

Hosted by the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce, Summer in the City on Saturday, July 23, debuts Summer on Tap, a craft brew event designed to show the community’s proximity to microbrews in the area, as well as bring a new group of attendees to downtown Dowagiac.

Headquartered in and around the Beckwith Park, from 1 to 5 p.m., Summer on Tap features more than a dozen of the area’s best known, as well as up-and-coming microbreweries, plus a hard cider company.

Attendees can expect to see: Arclight Brewing Co., Watervliet; Barn Brewers, Lawton; Bell’s Inspired Brewing, Kalamazoo; Blake’s Hard Cider Co., Amanda; Final Gravity, Decatur; Latitude 42 Brewing Co., Portage; The Livery, Benton Harbor; Perrin Brewing Co., Comstock Park; Roak Brewing Co., Royal Oak; Round Barn Brewery, Baroda; Saugatuck Brewing Co., Douglas; Sister Lakes Brewing Company, Sister Lakes; and Tapestry Brewing, Bridgman.

Bud Distributing of Dowagiac will also be on site with Bud and Bud Light.

“Dowagiac’s restaurants have very good beer selections as well as great taps, but we lack a microbrew of our own,” said organizer Eileen Crouse. “Summer on Tap is designed to show our proximity to many of these breweries.”

Working with Crouse on the new event are Chamber President Kim MacGregor and Trisha Hunt from Edward Jones.

“Our local brewers are looking forward to meeting visiting beer enthusiasts and growing the awareness of what the Dowagiac area has to offer,” Crouse said.

Tickets for Summer on Tap are limited and on sale now at the Chamber of Commerce, located within the historic train depot; at Wood Fire Italian Trattoria in Dowagiac; or online through Eventbrite.com.

Attendees 21 and older will receive a commemorative glass with 12 3-ounce samples.

“Because Summer on Tap permits attendees to come and go during the event, we will be encouraging visitors to stop by the festival booths and local businesses during the tasting,” Crouse said. “They can bring in their own picnic basket or enjoy the in-out option of bringing in food from one of Dowagiac’s many downtown restaurants.”

Summer in the City opens Thursday, July 21, as Jared Knox presents a special two-hour concert at Beckwith Park, underwritten by Huntington Bank and presented by the Dowagiac Downtown Development Authority.  Having opened for such country greats as Lorrie Morgan, Chris Cagle and Tracy Lawrence, this is the second year Knox has performed locally.

According to Vickie Phillipson, Chamber of Commerce & DDA program director, family activities swing into full gear Friday and Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m., featuring BMX demos, camel rides, children’s inflatables and games, and summer sidewalk clearance sales.

Underwriting the 31st annual festival are 13 corporate sponsors that include: AK Montgomery, Burling & Gillesby DDS, Chemical Bank, Clark Chapel / Starks Family Funeral Homes, Creative Vinyl Signs, Down to Earth Chiropractic & Rehabilitation, Kim MacGregor’s Office of Edward Jones, Family Fare, Four Winds Casino, Lyons Industries, Southwestern Michigan College, Wightman & Associates and Wolverine Mutual Insurance Co.

For a complete schedule of events, visit the Chamber’s website or Facebook page.