Event attendees made generous contributions to benefit families of fallen soldiers and first responders in the line of duty. 

Photo courtesy MHDA Participants in the 2021 Brew Crawl enjoy some suds at Colibri Gallery.

By Suman Ganapathy

Suman Ganapathy

The Morgan Hill Downtown Association gratefully thanks the more than 700 attendees of the 9th Annual Downtown Brew Crawl, as well as the generous sponsors, donors, volunteers, and community well-wishers for contributing to the resounding success of our first in-person event since 2019. After the vagaries of the virus and the resultant uncertainties in the planning process, we excitedly showcased 18 craft breweries and downtown businesses, along with three local live music bands during the event.

Proceeds will be used to fund the Downtown Monterey Corridor twinkle lights and help our beautiful “heart of the community” stay vibrant, viable, and visit-worthy throughout the year. While we brought in needed revenue after a fallow 18-month period, in the wake of recent inflation and increased overhead costs, we continue to chase our fundraising goals.

Since our event was slated on the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, MHDA also partnered with the Tunnel-to-Towers Foundation — an organization created to honor the supreme sacrifice of firefighter Stephen Siller Sept. 11, 2001.

Event attendees made generous contributions to benefit families of fallen soldiers and first responders in the line of duty. We are thankful!

Currently, we have jumped right back to event-planning mode for our upcoming Second Downtown Annual Car Cruise slated for 11 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 17.

Brew Crawl Chair Laura Bertoldi is also chair of the Car Cruise. It was her brainchild last year to join the nostalgic national trend of car cruises, and MHDA’s collective effort to start a new Morgan Hill tradition and provide an engaging and safe event while supporting local classic car owners and businesses. With the cancellation of both the Taste of Morgan Hill and the British Car Show, we expect a lot of participants this year.

Brimming with enthusiasm and energy, Bertoldi’s ideas for the event include a special ‘Cruise Passport’ featuring discounts and drawing tickets at drop off locations all throughout downtown.

“We can highlight all happenings downtown that day … to drive people to stay after the event,” she said. Alluring gift certificates from both restaurants and retail would drive participants and attendees to visit non-food related businesses too.

We have teamed up again with the local car clubs “On the Road Again Classics” and “Cars and Coffee, Morgan Hill,” our sponsors from last year. They provided many of our more than 85 cruise participants.

Cars and Coffee is hosting a car show event in the Hobby Lobby parking lot until 11 a.m. on the day of our cruise and will conveniently double up as our check-in location. They have also committed to all cash donations going to the MHDA to support the twinkle lights downtown. In addition, we offer $150 sponsorships to place a banner on a downtown fence and a $100 “leader of the pack” sponsorship to lead the car cruise. Please visit www.mhdowntown.org/carcruise to sign up as a participant or sponsor.

Special shout outs to John Bautista and Rachel Hill from the two local car clubs, for their help and support, and to the city of Morgan Hill too. The route and the duration are currently being finalized, and the cruise should last an hour.

I recall how the serpentine line-up of chic and classic Corvettes, Mustangs, Porsches, BMWs, Jaguars, and many other beauties dazzled and delighted even non-car enthusiasts like me last year.

Who will be the lead car this year? Who will win those inviting raffle prizes? Morgan Hill, I hope you will join us for a wonderful and fun time and find out. It could be you!

Suman Ganapathy is a Morgan Hill Downtown Association board member. She is also a Leadership Morgan Hill Class of 2018 alumnus, AAUW President-elect, docent and Chair, Morgan Hill Library, Culture and Arts Commission.