SISTER LAKES — Labor Day weekend has long been associated with soaking up the last of the summer rays, celebrating with family, drink in hand. Now, a local brewery is inviting the public to celebrate the holiday with them, while also giving to a worthy cause.

The Strand, 93415 County Road 690, Dowagiac, will be hosting a Stouts and Snouts Labor Day party on Saturday and Sunday. The weekend-long event will feature family fun, live music, a beer release and a portion of sales will benefit Paws of Hope Animal Rescue, a volunteer animal rescue based out of Stevensville.

The event is free and open to the public, though beer garden access will be restricted to individuals 21 and older.

“We wanted to pull some people in for the holiday weekend, and we were planning a beer release, so we decided to pull it all into one and hope to share the event,” said manager Krista Burger. “We are hoping it’s a hit.”

Burger said she and the rest of The Strand staff are excited about the weekend event because it both marks the release of the brewery’s newest beer, Gloomtide, an oak aged imperial stout with black currant, and it marks the first time the restaurant has partnered with a local charity for an event. Ten percent of beer sales throughout the weekend will go to Paws of Hope.

“I think anything that gives back to the community is important, and this is going to be a big weekend for us with the holiday,” she said. “That was an easy way for us to tie it in, and everyone loves puppies.”

Representatives with Paws of Hope will be on site Sunday, discussing their mission and showcasing pets that are currently up for adoption. Burger said partnering with Paws of Hope fit with the goals and values of The Strand.

“We reached out to a number of places, and Paws of Hope seemed like the right way to go,” she said. “Choosing something local was important to us, and we are all pretty big animal lovers. One of our beers is even named after one of our owner’s dogs. We are all kind of geeks about our pets, so it stuck with all of us here to choose [Paws of Hope] as our first charity.”

If the beer and puppies were not enough to draw in customers, Burger said The Strand will also provide family fun, games, prizes and live music in order to make the party feel like a true celebration.

“It’s going to be great,” she said. “There will be bags to play, plenty of food, a full bar and good beer. There will be plenty for everyone to do. It’s all you can ask for.”