Indy Hops Crowns Winners at Passport Drop Party in Santa Barbara Funk Zone

It’s true that all good things must come to an end, and Indy Hops is no exception. On Monday night, the beer crawl concluded with our passport drop party to celebrate a month’s worth of traveling across Santa Barbara County to enjoy the best brew the area has to offer. 

Throughout July, our readers have been challenged to treat themselves to a pint or two at nine participating breweries in Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria, Solvang, and Lompoc. If they collected stamps at all the locations, they could be entered to win gift cards from those same breweries.

Upon arrival at Validation Ale, aptly located in the heart of the Funk Zone, our county-traveling, beer-loving readers dropped their completed passports into a gigantic inflatable beer mug and crossed their fingers for good luck.

Before the winners were revealed, though, the night got going with music provided by the wonderful DJ Darla Bea in her iconic dip-dyed wig. Validation served up pour after pour of their wide range of beers and kombucha on tap as a crowd gathered to watch young dancers from Maria Bermudez Flamenco Performing Arts put on an amazing, skirt-twirling show.

Capping off the night, the Indy’s own Richelle Boyd drew passports from the giant beer mug, giving away eight total gift cards. The lucky winners hopped up with their spots with glee as their names were called, marching forward to collect their prizes and solidify their status as committed beer and Indy aficionados.