Father’s Day,the BBQ Way!

Nothing says “I love you, Dad” like beer and barbecue. But Dads aren't the only ones being honored at this June’s Oregon Brews & Barbecue Father’s Day Bash. Richard Bert of Bert’s Chuckwagon BBQ took over the event in 2022, which donates a portion of the proceeds to veterans’ services. Their charities this year are the American Legion Post 21 and the Wounded Warrior Project. “Someone once told me we owe veterans a debt we can never repay,” says Richard, “which is very true, but I thought, ‘I’m going to try.’”

Oregon Brews & Barbecue lost its footing during the pandemic and had no plans to continue. When Richard revived the event, it moved from the Oregon Mutual building in Downtown McMinnville to the Yamhill County Fairgrounds. He also turned a single festival into two events — one held on Father’s Day weekend and another during early fall for Oktoberfest.

This year’s Father’s Day Bash takes place from June 13th at 4 p.m to June 15th at 7 p.m. This isn’t your typical brewfest — it’s a three-day family-friendly festival with a constant stream of entertainment and activities for all ages! The craft beer scene in our state is unrivaled, and the lineup at the brewfest is intended to showcase smaller, local breweries bringing bold sips that are truly next-level.

Beer-lovers can indulge in a variety of styles from all Oregon makers, including Root & Rye Hop Farm + Brewery, Chehalem Valley Brewing, Three Mugs Brewing Company from Hillsboro and more! Pair your frothy beverage with mouth-watering barbecue from Miller’s BBQ out of Salem, Burning Boar BBQ from St. Paul, and, of course, Bert’s Chuckwagon BBQ.

“We’ll be serving our famous mac and cheese bowls topped with brisket or pulled pork,” says Richard. Other food vendors will be on-site peddling treats like caramel corn, fresh lemonade and Mexican fruit cups.

On Friday, the bash kicks off with the opening ceremonies at 6 p.m. The melodies of the National Anthem echo across the scene to collectively honor our veterans and America, sung this year by kids from McMinnville High School.

On Saturday, get ready for a one-of-a-kind car show, followed by a high-octane motorcycle show on Sunday with prizes, awards and non-stop entertainment. Other activities include everything from medieval combat fighting tournaments and a quarter arcade to bull-riding, ax-throwing, a trading card show and more.

Forget everything you thought you knew about brewfests — this one is the ultimate family-friendly beer extravaganza! “There’s not a lot of downtime,” says Richard with a laugh. Tent and RV camping are available for a fee, so the fun never stops all weekend.

Local live bands will be rocking the house throughout the weekend, featuring Bottleneck Blues Band and Cheap Sunglasses on Friday; Sam Girl, Trent Beaver & The Damage and the Matt Beltran Band on Saturday, and The Feel Button, Tuesday Spring Jam and Bootleg Jam on Sunday. The festival also invites local merchandise vendors like Overlook Forge with their artisan knives and custom hand-carved flags from Pioneer Pacific Woodcrafters.

Bert’s Chuckwagon BBQ is a leader in giving back to the community, and Richard’s whole family comes together to organize, set up, run and take down Oregon Brews & Barbecue for both of its yearly celebrations. Volunteers are needed for a variety of roles — contact Richard if you’re interested in supporting this spectacular cause! “Oregon Brews & Barbecue is a way for us to bring people together, and being able to donate each time to veterans’ services is my greatest joy,” he says.

For more information on Oregon Brews & Barbecue and to purchase tickets, please visit their website at orbrewsandbbq.com