Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Wesltand to Kick Off National Belgian Beer Week with North American Belgian Beer Festival

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 734.422.1230

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

Wesltand to Kick Off National Belgian Beer Week with North American Belgian Beer Festival

Westland, MI- The Biggest Belgian Beer Fest in North America is BACK as Westland hosts for the 7th year. The event leads off a new National Belgian Beer Week.

More than 200 varieties of craft beer from more than 80 different Belgian breweries will be available to attendees of the North American Belgian Beer Festival (NABBF).

The event, sponsored by the Consulate General of Belgium/Flanders Investment and Trade and major importers, will be held in the parking lot of the Westland Shopping Center. This year there will be two sessions; one on Friday July 14 and a second session Saturday July 15.

"Microbreweries in Michigan are an expanding industry and we are proud to have a Westland business host an event that features some of the best Belgian Kraft Beers," said Mayor Wild. "This exclusive event is a testament to the international reach our Shop and Dine district in Westland is garnering."

Belgium is recognized by many experts as one of the world's top beer nations, with Belgian brewers creating more recognized styles of beer per capita than any other country. The Michigan festival is the start of a national Belgian Beer Week. After Michigan's group gathering, brewers individually will fan out across the country for other showcase events from California to New York, from Texas to Vermont.

"The U.S. Belgian Beer Week aims to garner appreciation for arguably the best brewers in the world. These are the original, authentic craft brewers who started brewing beer generations ago for their village, and today export their brews to countries all over the world. One week of recognition for these pioneers in brewing is a long time coming here in the U.S." - Steve Villani President, Global Beer Network

Attendees will have the opportunity not only to sample many unique specialty and boutique brews but also to pair them with a menu of Belgian-inspired cuisine. Belgian beer experts will be on hand to help educate and guide guests through the amazing diversity and complexity of the Belgian beer world.

The NABBF's emphasis on authenticity is underscored by this year's sponsorship from the Flanders Investment and Trade group of the Consulate General of Belgium.

Tickets and more Festival information are available online at www.nabbf.org .

For more information, please call Aubrey Berman at (734)467-3200

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Westland Fire Department are licensed paramedics who responded to over 9,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds of shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, one of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more than 40 parks and 1,500 acres of trails, a 9-hole golf course, hockey arena, athletic fields, playscapes, a Farmers and Artisans Market and more. One of Michigan's most environmentally friendly cities, Westland has a progressive curbside recycling program with one of the highest participation rates in the nation and the City is raising the bar for cultural experiences with the placement of public art throughout the City.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.