Beer fans gathered at Batavia's Peg Bond Center by Depot Pond on Saturday for the fifth annual Pints by the Pond, a four-hour ticketed festival that paired a dozen regional craft breweries with food trucks and live music. The festival is in its fifth year.
Ryan Baxter, a Batavia resident who lives downtown, was among those who showed up for the tastings. He told the Chicago Tribune the festival features great beers, different breweries and a close-knit community. Katie Burgess, director of creative development and community engagement for the Batavia Park District, said the event offers something fun to do in the community, and noted that Batavia and the wider Fox Valley area have a strong affinity for craft beverages and local breweries.
A Dozen Breweries, 29 Choices, and Two Newcomers
This year's lineup included 29 beverage choices from a dozen local breweries, according to the Tribune's reporting. Stockholm's Brewery of Geneva and Bubblehouse Brewing of Lisle both joined the fall lineup for the first time, while ten other breweries returned from previous years. General admission tickets ran $50 and included three hours of tastings, a commemorative glass and 20 3-ounce samples, while $65 VIP passes offered early 1 p.m. entry, according to Shaw Local. Designated driver passes sold for $10, and the outlet's report noted all attendees had to present state-issued photo IDs at check-in.
Food vendors included Pine by Me and Tacos la Encantada. Attendees were permitted to bring lawn chairs and blankets to the open-air riverside venue. Live music rounded out the afternoon, with the Waubonsee Community Steel Drum Band performing at the festival.
Longtime Regulars Return for the Tastings and the Company
Randel Chance, who traveled from Hampshire with his mother, Kathy Chance, said he enjoys trying unique beers and learning how they were made. Deana Myers, a Batavia resident attending for the fifth time, said the event is a great way to be with the community. The festival provided a setting for people to socialize with friends and family while sampling pours from breweries across the Fox Valley.
Batavia's Growing Craft Beer Footprint
Batavia's homegrown participant, Energy City Brewing, at 917 1st Street, specializes in heavily fruited Berliner Weisse Bistro sours, pastry stouts and hazy IPAs, according to Enjoy Illinois. Downtown, Batavia's craft beer scene has also been expanding beyond the festival grounds: Sturdy Shelter Brewing opened a 40-seat outdoor deck overlooking the Fox River along the Fox River Bike Trail last month, adding to an 18-tap taproom inside a historic limestone building, the Daily Herald reported.
Pints by the Pond is also part of the Fox River Pour Tour, a regional tourism initiative organized by the Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau to spotlight breweries, wineries and meaderies across the Fox Valley corridor, according to EnjoyAurora.com. The initiative is designed to encourage seasonal visitor travel across Kane and DuPage counties, tying the Batavia festival to a broader push for craft beverage tourism.
An Industry Still Finding Its Footing
The festival's growth comes as Illinois craft breweries navigate a mixed economic landscape. The state reached a record high of 308 operating craft breweries as of mid-2025, recovering from a stretch in which 10% of Illinois craft breweries closed between 2022 and 2023, according to a report cited by The Daily Parker. The industry now generates nearly $2.9 billion in annual economic impact statewide, with Illinois ranking 13th nationally in total operating craft breweries, the same report noted, underscoring why community festivals and taproom events remain critical revenue generators for small producers.
The Peg Bond Center itself carries its own history along the riverfront. Located at 151 N. Island Ave., the facility includes an indoor multipurpose space and outdoor amphitheater stage built as part of the Batavia Riverwalk project, which was dedicated in October 1998 after six years of construction using volunteer community labor and local contributions, according to the Batavia Park District. The park district launched Pints by the Pond at the venue in September 2022, when the inaugural edition offered the same 20 3-ounce samples per ticket that attendees receive today, with the Batavia Civic Center on standby as an indoor backup venue in case of severe weather.
