Blues and Craft Beer Festival comes to Inn at Millrace Pond
By Laurie Gordon
HOPE — The Historic Inn at Millrace Pond in Hope is as full of history as it is fun, and on Sunday, Aug. 30 from 2 to 7 p.m., it will host its third annual Blues Festival and Craft Brews Fest.
“This year's musical line-up is killer, with power-packed bands,” said the Inn's General Manager, Sue-Ann Hansen.
The line up of bands will include Brother Buddha and Bob Lanza Band, along with Slackjaw, Craft beers will be on tap along with a plethora of scrumptious food offerings.
The Bob Lanza Band's a tight-knit blues group that plays in authentic Chicago, Kansas City, style with some Texas influences thrown in. Lanza has played with numerous local blues bands as well as with some greats, and the band has backed James Cotton and Nashville legend Dave Perkins.
Among the members of rock band, Brother Buddha, the band features “the King of the B-3 Hammond Organ,” John Ginty. Rounding out the three-peat of jamming sensations will be Slackjaw which brings its steady blues rock sound to the show.
The Inn evolvesEvents like the blues festival are part of the Inn at Millrace Pond's revival which is largely due to a woman named Sue-Ann Hansen.
A resident of Stillwater, Hansen's varied resume has given her experience in a host of businesses that she's meshed into her position at the Inn. She’s worked for the Hilton Hotel chain in Boston, ran a night club in Waikiki, was Food and beverage director in Maui, and handled the finances for multiple companies including a pharmaceutic until opening up her own construction company.
“Every different piece of my background has surely come into play here,” she said.
At the Inn, she arranges special parties, manages all the finances, makes sure that there’s plenty to eat for both of the Inn’s two restaurants (a Tavern menu downstairs, a more upscale menu upstairs), as well as ensures that guests enjoy their overnight experience in one of 17 unique and antique filled rooms.
Working in a historic building can also entail dealing with plumbing or electrical issues which she takes care of swiftly and behind the scenes so guests are never impacted.
“Under the direction of Hansen, the Inn has truly really turned things back around, to the point that even longtime employees marvel at the results,” said Innkeeper Daniel Richner. “She quickly instituted some immediate changes, such as the 'two restaurant concept' — fine dining experience upstairs and for those preferring a pub and more casual experience, the Fireside Tavern downstairs.”
HistoryThe Inn at Millrace Pond has a long history in Warren County, having been a community staple in Hope since the Moravian Grist Mill was built in 1769. For 180 years the Mill prepared grain and flour, and George Washington’s army even transported it to Jockey Hollow, often with cannon balls hidden inside.
For more than 30 years the Inn has gained a reputation as a bed and breakfast, fine dining restaurant, and a corporate center where major corporations and businesses regularly hold seminars and other company activities. Each room has its own unique nuances, and the restaurants are open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. The Inn hosts numerous private special occasion events each year for families, and corporate meetings for businesses.
In addition to the menu changes, the Inn offers light entertainment every Friday night in the Pub, piano music on Saturday nights, and special events throughout the year, including comedy, a Vincent Price Tribute Dinner, and this annual Blues and Craft Beers Festival.
“What we want to do was to give our patrons choices," said Hansen. "We have a unique setup and so we are able to something for everyone."
When the weather is right, the Outdoor Patio is another option for diners. The Inn proudly uses locally grown produce whenever possible.