Merrimack Brewery Experience To Light Up The Holiday Season

MERRIMACK, NH — A quarter-million lights will help ring in the holiday season at the Anheuser-Busch Biergarten and Tour Center Friday night when the switch is flipped to illuminate the brewery's yuletide festivities. The fourth annual Merrimack Brewery Experience includes the massive lights display, as well as activities for kids and special packages for adults.

"It's a chance to bring the community together to celebrate the season," Carla Reardon, Merrimack Brewery Experience assistant manager told Patch on Friday. "So many of our connections these days are around social media. But this is a place where people can come back, sit down with each other, and enjoy the season together."

The 250,000 lights make for the biggest display in the four-year history of the holiday experience. There is also a Candy Cane Maze that includes complimentary 3D glasses that create the sensation that the holiday light designs are jumping off the walls, a light tunnel with synchronized music and a Kid's Zone in a heated tent with face painting and holiday-themed crafts that Reardon said children can either bring home or leave to be placed on the brewery's Christmas tree.

"We've been working on it for quite a while now," Reardon said. "The inspiration behind it is building a sense of community where people want to come and roast S'mores on the fire pits together."

Adult-themed packages include the VIP Igloo Package where those 21-plus can split two buckets of beer, and those of any age can spend a night in the snow and ice. The private igloos seat up to six people with advanced purchased suggested due to limited availability.

The new 21-plus Frosty Tour allows guests to sample beer directly from the tank in the Finishing Annex after a brewery tour of the Brew Hall, Ale Fermentation Cellars and Beechwood Aging Cellars. The tour includes a complimentary pint of Bud Light.

It all kicks off Friday at 6 when brewery general manager Tom Jokerst "flips the switch" to turn on the 250,000 lights. The Merrimack Brewery Experience will then be open Thursdays and Sundays from 5 to 9 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 5 to 10 p.m., through Dec. 29 with the exception of Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

All are encouraged to share their experience on social media by using the #BreweryLights hashtag.

Tickets for all packages and discounted parking can be purchased online.