Submitted by Gateway Rotary
Tobias the Owl is an award-winning musical collective based in the Pacific Northwest. Voted “Best Songwriting” in the Seattle Sound Music Awards and “Best Singer-Songwriter” in the Toronto Independent Music Awards, the music of Tobias the Owl has resonated with an international audience, with song contributions to television programs and feature films. The songs of Tobias the Owl have also been featured in Starbucks stores around the world. Hear them live at the Brats, Brews & Bands Festival (BBB) in Lacey on September 11, 2021.
Tobias The Owl (Elijah Dhavvan) is also a college professor who has been working at a veterans hospital in Oregon, and will be traveling up from his duties to provide a fantastic show at the BBB.
“Locally powered musical festivals and micro-festivals are so important to the community and the vitality of the music scene,” shares Dhavvan. “The year of isolation that we’re coming out of has really taken a toll on artists, and the reconnection provided by the Brats, Brews & Bands Festival is such an important opportunity for us to reconnect with music lovers and with each other. The union of food, drink, and music in one festival is such a wonderful statement on how joyous it is to come together with our friends, neighbors, and community.”
Expect this event for adults 21 and over to sell out. Tickets are $25 in advance with 5 drink tastes, and $30 at the door. From 2017 to 2019, the BBB doubled in attendance annually from 800 to over 3,200 attendees. Buying tickets in advance guarantees you through the door, especially with COVID-19 crowd restrictions.
“A ton of credit goes to former GWR member, Al Eckroth. BBB was originally his idea,” shares Eric Rowe, past Gateway Rotary president.
The Brats, Brews & Bands Festival is a one-day, 100% volunteer-operated event. Hosted by the largest rotary membership in the area, Gateway Rotary, the event raises thousands of dollars annually for local children’s charities in the area. Rotary International has over 1 million members, and has been helping provide humanitarian service and advancing goodwill globally as a non-political, non-religious organization since 1905.
“The majority of the Brats, Brews & Bands Festival is run by Gateway Rotary Club volunteers,” shares Nathan Peters, Gateway vice president & BBB chair. We’re able to keep costs low this way so more of the proceeds are able to be used to support local nonprofits.”
It features over 50 types of craft beers, ciders and Washington wines, and a lot of great food, including brats and tacos. It is the end of the summer party before we head into the fall.
“It’s nice to see the beer pourers and the guests engaging and giving each other a fun hassle,” says Amanda Vey, incoming Gateway president for 2021-2022.
“We don’t always put our volunteers in their best roles,” shares Len Faucher, past Gateway –president & BBB chair. “One of my favorite memories was watching our founding president and past rotary District Governor Tom Carroll struggle on the grill. Whether it was the prompt assembly line or the heat of the fire, it wasn’t working best for him. We shifted him to pouring wine and he was able to mingle and delight the crowd, something he does very well.”
Gateway Rotary Member Spotlight
Meet Sylvia Davenport. Sylvia is an active club volunteer with the Gateway Rotary Club of Thurston County. Sylvia joined the Gateway club in July 2019 and has been an active volunteer since day one. Sylvia is not afraid to dig in and help to make every club service project and fundraiser successful. Sylvia consistently demonstrates the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self.” Our community is made better through Sylvia’s actions. Thank you, Sylvia!
What We Do In The Community: We Are Gateway
Our fundraising from the Brats Brews Bands Festival creates impact in our community. As Pleasant Glade Elementary’s (PGE) Partner in Elementary, Gateway Rotary organized a food drive for PGE students over the 2020 holiday season. Rotarians donated 177 food items, including jarred peanut butter, toothpaste, canned soup, canned vegetables, and pasta.
Founded in 2011, Gateway Rotary meets in an Irish Pub (O’Blarney’s) every Wednesday at 7 a.m. with a membership of 114 and growing. We provide a high-energy experience to those who want to help their community, roll up their sleeves and engage in a setting that welcomes a great group of active people in our area.
