“It’s going to be an evening with live musical performances, bourbon tastings and gourmet barbecue,” said Callie Fisher, community projects coordinator for the City of Middletown.
Stuart “Stu” Locke, president of Middletown Rotary Club, said the event is a fundraiser for Middletown Rotary, but it’s also a way for club members to get out and serve the community.
“It’s a great opportunity as a rotary club to sponsor an event in Middletown,” Locke said. “It’s going to be a fun night of people getting together in March.”
Designed to celebrate the local community with a high-quality fare, the curated experience will feature a gourmet barbecue buffet dinner from Watkins Catering paired with bourbon tastings from local distilleries and live music by Last Call. Also, attendees can purchase tickets for a chance to win a raffle basket.
“I’m excited to be working with Middletown Rotary, and the different groups in the area, to bring them to our city, so that our residents can have these experiences without having to drive too far,” Fisher said.
Featured distilleries will include Name Brandt Distilling, The White Dog Distilling Co., Indian Creek Distillery, Willow Run Bourbon, Hayner Distilling and Dexter Bourbon Company.
Additionally, Willow Run Bourbon is featuring a custom Middletown Bourbon Blend through their “Bottles-for-a-Cause” program. For every bottle sold, 10 percent of the proceeds will be donated to Middletown Rotary.
“I hope that guests would have a fun evening, catching up with old friends and meeting new neighbors,” Fisher said.
Proceeds from the event support the Middletown Rotary’s ongoing mission to fund local service projects and community initiatives. The club also works closely with local organizations like Salvation Army, Abilities First and others.
“We have been a constant in this community for over 100 years. Last year, May of 2025, was our 100th anniversary. You may have seen an article recently that we uncovered, in a house in town, the original charter of our club from 1925. Sam Ashworth has put that on display at the historical society so people can go by and see it,” Locke said. “We are in the business of helping people in the community.”
He said, “This is another way we can put Rotary in front of the city.”
MORE DETAILS
Barbecue, Bourbon, and Beats will be 6-9 p.m. March 7 at The Event Center of Middletown. Individual tickets are $65 and a table of eight is $500. Raffle tickets are $5 each or five for $20. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit cityofmiddletown.org/728/Bourbon-BBQ.
The Event Center of Middletown is located at 3907 Central Ave. Those with questions may email comeventsdept@gmail.com.
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