“Save Water. Drink Beer.”

Well, you need water to make beer, but never mind — it’s still a great slogan and it adorned T-shirts worn by volunteers at the inaugural Loyalhanna Brewfest.

Hosted by the Loyalhanna Watershed Association, the festival was held June 22 on the grounds of the Ligonier Country Market at the west end of Ligonier.

It was a perfect summer day for an outdoor event, sunny but not too hot, and festival-goers made the most of it.

Under the beer tent, volunteers provided pours from Sweetwater, Southern Tier, Harpoon, Shiner, Sam Adams, Pizza Boy, Quinn, Sobel’s, Helltown, Fat Heads, New Belgium, Rhinegeist, Sierra Nevada, Firestone Walker and White Claw.

LWA Executive Director Susan Huba gave a toast to Pam Goodman, owner of Fat Daddy’s in Ligonier, for coordinating the breweries.

A ticket came with a commemorative tasting glass.

Outside the tent, party-goers could get food and listen to the music of Velveeta, a veteran party band from State College whose name describes its genesis.

The band’s Facebook page says it was formed in 1995 “as pretty much a joke, with the intention of playing occasionally doing only the finest in cheesy ’80s music. By the following spring, we were playing 3 nights a week, and the joke apparently was on us.”

Not so cheesy any more, they continue to play across Pennsylvania and the East Coast.

Seen at Brewfest: Pete and Patty Bloomer, Barb Bickle, Hugh and Nancy Brallier, Paul and Laurie McGinnis, Rich Weir, Wes Cross, Scott and Shannon Glass, Adam and Rebecca Peters, Stefen Firmstone, Rich Morrow, Zac Heide, Claudia Matthews, Larry Ridilla, Kathy Norris, Case Donchez, Ryan Purvis, Steve and Pam Carlisle and Joe and Bitsy Donofrio.

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