Free Trailblazers Hiking Club, including a free Blue Blaze Beer

Blue Blaze Brewing, 528 South Turner Avenue, is the first brewery in the Historic West End. It maintains a strong connection with the outdoors and healthy living. The brewery is named after the “blue blaze” symbol on the Appalachian Trail, which leads hikers off-trail to something interesting, like a spring or overlook.

Blue Blaze hosts bike rides, outdoor-themed film screenings, a pop-up farmers’ market and more.

You can see all their upcoming events on their Facebook page.

Here are some free upcoming events:

Trailblazers Hiking Club, including a free Blue Blaze Brewing Beer
Every Saturday in January, 2019
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
U.S. National Whitewater Center
January 5:
January 12
January 19
January 26

Trailblazers will meet at 10AM at the adventure pavilion in the main parking lot of the Whitewater Center (see photos for map). After the hike, all Trailblazers are welcome to join us at River’s Edge for a cold brew. Your first Blue Blaze beer is on us!

Participation in this event is FREE (and did we mention the beer at the end?). Parking at the Whitewater Center is $6 to anyone who does not hold an annual pass. Folks of all ages and skill levels are welcome to join us (drinks only for those who are 21 and older, of course). Leashed dogs can come along for the hiking portion of this event, but will not be allowed in the restaurant. Hike will be led by Appalachian Trail thru hiker, Heidi Nisbett (Class of 2018).
Note: Follow the links (above) to see some details about the hike for each date.

Blue Blaze Book Club: Truly Madly Guilty by Liana Moriarty
Thursday, January 17th, 2019
7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Free

Blue Blaze invites all book lovers to join them for an evening of books and brews. This month, they’ll be meeting to discuss Truly Madly Guilty by Liana Mortiarty. The meeting will tak eplace in their mezzanine loft.

Backpacking 101 – A Wilderness Workshop
Sunday, January 20th, 2019
4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Free

The great outdoors can be a wonderful place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and stresses from everyday life. However, spending time in the wilderness, especially doing overnight backpacking trips, can be difficult and unnerving, not to mention dangerous, to those new to the experience. Here at Blue Blaze Brewing, we want to encourage folks to get outside and experience the serenity of nature by providing tips on safety and backpacking techniques. Starting in January, we will be hosting monthly backpacking workshops with experienced backpacker and Appalachian Trail thru hiker, Heidi Nisbett.

Join us on Sunday, January 20 in the taproom as we tackle one of the biggest concerns folks have about spending a night in the woods: how to stay safe from bears and other wildlife. We will teach you how to most efficiently hang your food away from your tent and out of reach from bears, as well as give instructions on how to react if you stumble across a bear in the wilderness. All materials for the practice bear-bag hangs will be provided, and participation is free. The purchase of a drink or two is appreciated. These workshops are open to experienced backpackers and newbies alike.

Artist Reception: Chalice Bartsch-Bailley
Friday, January 25th, 2019
6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Free

Blue Blaze Brewing is proud to present the works of Charlotte artist Chalice Bartsch-Bailley. Come by to meet the artist, find unique and handmade gifts for loved ones, and enjoy some tasty treats from A Taste of Culture food truck.

Chalice Bartsch-Bailley (Florida, b.1990) is currently enrolled at the School of Art Institute of Chicago. She received a BFA in painting, winter 2015 from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, GA. Bartsch-Bailley has exhibited her works in multiple juried exhibitions including Small Works, Gutstein Gallery, Savannah, GA, the Sensory Showcase in Miami, FL at the LMNT Gallery, and the Figure Show at Gallery Twenty Two Charlotte, NC as well as Evendale Photography, Evendale Cultural Arts Center, Cincinnati, OH. Bartsch-Bailley currently works and resides in Charlotte, NC.

Super Bowl 53 Screening
Sunday, February 3rd, 2019
6:30 p.m.
Free

Make plans to watch the big game on Blue Blaze’s 12′ projection. As always, there is no cover and parking is free. All Blue Blaze pitchers and growler fills are $12 (under 7%).