Hop Fest run still on

Despite the sad news that the Sisters Fresh Hop Festival, hosted in part by Three Creeks Brewing and Circle of Friends, is not happening this year, the associated Sisters Hop Fest Half-Marathon and 5k will still be taking place, according to race director Sean Meissner.

Registration is still open for the race, which is set for Saturday, September 25. The event benefits the Sisters High School swim team.

The Sisters Hop Fest Half-Marathon starts and finishes at the Three Creeks Brewing production facility on Barclay Drive in the industrial park at 8 a.m. The course is a single 13.1-mile loop, taking advantage of rural paved and dirt county and forest service roads north of town, according to Meissner.

The 5k course begins at 8:15 on Sun Ranch Drive, just a quarter mile from the half-marathon start. The course, which Meissner says is actually a tad over 5 kilometers, is mostly flat on a mix of paved and dirt roads.

Meissner, a former Sisters resident now living in Fruita, Colorado, said he was inspired to do a race tied to a brewfest after taking part in a similar event in Durango, Colorado.

“I figured if Durango could create a super-fun event that includes a good, long run and a brewfest, then Sisters could, too!”

Meissner takes pride in putting together races that don’t cost an arm and a leg.

“I’m sort of turned off by the many overpriced, over-hyped events that take place these days,” he said. “We are offering a lot of bang for the buck.”

On the event website Meissner has reminded people to wear masks when not running and to maintain other protocols for safety, including social distancing pre- and post-race.

All finishers receive a “super stylish” Sisters Fresh Hop Festival trucker hat or a “cool” pair of Sisters Hop Fest socks, along with a custom pint glass, according to Meissner.

Registration is open on www.ultrasignup.com.

The Fresh Hop Festival, which benefits Ronald McDonald House Charities, hopes to return next year at full strength. In the past, the event drew more than 20 brewers of fresh-hopped beer, and included music, food, and lots of fun.