Colorado Springs FAC Hosts WHISKEY FOR MY MEN, BEER FOR MY HORSES Fundraiser Today, 8/17

The Fine Arts Center presents Whiskey for My Men, Beer for My Horses today, Friday, Aug. 17 (6-9p), the third annual summer fundraiser held in the intimate FAC Courtyard.

The event – rescheduled due to the Waldo Canyon Fire – features a whiskey and beer tasting from Colorado craft distilleries and breweries; plus the music of The J. Miller Band, who just released a CD of outstanding original Americana music. The band is also well versed in Waylon, Willie and Merle.

“We anticipate a significant increase in both hooting and hollering from the previous two years,” said Sam Gappmayer, FAC President and CEO.

The event was originally organized to honor the western heritage of the Pikes Peak Region and there is a major reminder of that heritage overlooking the venue in the FAC Courtyard: the 1936 fresco mural, Wild Horses, by Frank Mechau.

Mechau, a Colorado native and master of the American western scene, came to Colorado Springs in 1935 as an instructor at the Broadmoor Art Academy (the FAC predecessor). FAC architect John Gaw Meem himself approved the small scale drawing of the mural for the FAC Courtyard.

The breweries and distilleries lined up include Pikes Peak Brewing (Monument), BierWerks Brewery (Woodland Park), KB Kraft Beer (Colorado Springs), Distillery 291 (Colorado Springs) and Spring 44 (Boulder).

The J. Miller Band is led by singer-songwriter Jason Miller from Black Forest.

“The J. Miller Band is your top pick for country music in the Pikes Peak region,” said Grass It Up’s David Jeffrey. “Great vocals, huge song list, good people and their originals are getting some attention from Nashville. Can’t go wrong with The J. Miller Band.”

The band’s new CD, Road to Elvado, was released on March 30.

Established in 1936, the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center is home to world-class art galleries, theatre, and an art school for all ages. Built on the foundation of the prestigious Broadmoor Art Academy, the FAC carries the legacy of Colorado’s arts and cultural heritage. One of the first 16 institutions accredited by the American Association of Museums in 1971, the FAC offers the best in the world of visual arts via its Permanent Collection and travelling exhibitions, performing arts through the FAC’s Theatre Company, and arts education with the Bemis School of Art. The Fine Arts Center’s building is considered an architectural landmark in the Rocky Mountain region, designed by John Gaw Meem, and is listed on the National Register for Historical Places. In 2007, the FAC unveiled a $28.6 million renovation and expansion.

For information, visit csfineartscenter.org.