By Crystal Harrell
Luchador Brewing Company is hosting the first-ever Coachella Valley beer festival, Desert BrewFest, on December 10 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Cathedral City Amphitheater.
This beer lover’s paradise will feature unlimited craft beers to sample from local and non-local breweries. There will also be some amazing live performances lined up, including the incredible sounds of Queen Nation, a Queen tribute band, and Metalachi, a heavy metal Mariachi band. The event’s MC, DJ Carlos, will keep the energy high with great tunes and even give out prizes in between sets.
Throughout the day, there will be thrilling Lucha Libre matches, and since good food is essential, Desert BrewFest will have many food trucks on-site to keep bellies full and satisfied. Attendees can also get into the holiday spirit and take a picture with jolly old St. Nick himself. Ugly sweaters are welcomed for the best photo ops.
Guests can discover an incredible array of vendors and partners who offer a wide range of exciting experiences. Various activities provide memorable moments like having a unique caricature drawn, face painting, or even axe throwing.
Luchador Brewing Company believes in giving back to the community, and a portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to local causes such as the Boys & Girls Club and Well in The Desert, among others. By attending the Brewfest, guests are also supporting these worthy organizations.
Another way to help Luchador Brewing Company spread joy this holiday season is by bringing an unwrapped toy valued over $10. By doing so, participants will have a chance to win prizes. The goal is to collect over 250 gifts for children in need.
Co-owner Brent Miller was inspired by the nostalgia of the Luchador wrestling he watched as a child and co-owner Jaime Benson had strong connections to both Chino Hills and the Coachella Valley, leading to the creation of Luchador Brewing Company. Its flagship location in Chino Hills opened its doors in March of 2020 and a second location, Cathedral City, opened in August of 2022. A distribution center in Banning is also in the works.
“We want to get our name out there, and we realized that there are so many festivals in the Valley because that’s what people want to do on weekends. I want Desert BrewFest to be the first type of beer festival in the desert and we would love to start doing this annually,” stated Benson.
Luchador Brewing Company has 15 rotating taps featuring a wide selection of beers and seltzers, all made in-house, as well as a solid selection of wine by the glass and bottle. The in-house food truck El Camión turns the brewery food truck tradition on its head and serves up delicious Mexican street food small plates, Tijuana-style. Growlers, crowlers, and the full menu are available for take-out.
“Our long-term goal is definitely to open up multiple breweries, even going out of state like Nevada and Arizona, and keep building our brand. The whole Luchador concept sprung from just wanting to make beer and to keep it fun. It’s been a lot of work, but it’s also been so rewarding at the same time. I’ve been in the restaurant business since I was 16. I started at Mimi’s and worked my way up from a dishwasher. The industry has its ups and downs, but when it’s engrained in your DNA, you just know to keep pushing forward. Desert BrewFest is the culmination of my experience thus far and I’m so excited to share it with the Coachella Valley,” shared Benson.
General admission is priced at $65 for presale and $75 at the door. This includes 3 hours of unlimited tastings inside the Beer Garden (stops at 4 p.m.). Beer and wine are also available for purchase from Luchador Brewing Company. VIP admission is $85 for the presale price and $95 at the door and includes 4 hours of unlimited tastings inside the Beer Garden. Festival admission is $40 at presale price and $50 at the door with no beer garden access.
To learn more about Luchador Brewing Company or to register for the Desert BrewFest, visit luchadorbrew.com.
