Change In The Air Foundation's Beer Garden Serves 31 Nights Of Summer

NEW HAVEN, CT — With the ribbon cut, cheers!

Mayor Justin Elicker joined Jamal Robinson, Director of Sales and Marketing at New England Brewing Co. and Founder and President of the Change in the Air Foundation for a ribbon-cutting celebration of CITA Park. A new weekend beer garden and event space, it's "dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion within the beer industry and to giving Black and Brown brewers a space to showcase their craft and brews alongside their fellow brewers," organizers said.

In addition, arts and cultural events and programming – including live music, art exhibits, salsa nights, food festivals, and more – will be served up alongside craft beer for 31 nights of summer and fall programming, activating a previously underutilizing space in the downtown New Haven.

According to CITA, a 501c3 dedicated to the promotion of craft beer within the Black and Brown community, craft beer is a $80+ billion industry within the United States and includes over half a million jobs, yet less than 5 percent of those involved are people of color.

This initiative alongside others, including the CT Brewers Guild African American Brewing Scholarship at Sacred Heart University, are efforts by CITA, NEBCO, and others to diversify the craft beer industry.

CITA Park will be open to the public on weekends now through Oct. 31 on Fridays from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturdays from noon to 11 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 9 p.m.