Dear Community Suppoerter,
The Eye Center Inc., Vision Foundation and the Hernando De Soto Historical Society will be hosting the 17th Annual Beertopia on Saturday, August 22, 2026. Beertopia is a beer and local cuisine sampling event originally held at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, the hub of over 350 domestic, craft and import beers along with wine and liquors. The venue for this highly anticipated event is indoors at Veteran’s Hall in the Manatee Fairgrounds. This event has great results year after year with over 350 people in attendance, thousands of dollars donated to the community, and an impressive display of beer and foods from local sponsors. This year, we are anticipating the crowds to grow yet again, and we would greatly appreciate your organization’s involvement and support.
Eye Center Inc., Vision Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to providing eye care and glasses to underprivileged children. Proceeds from Beertopia will enable us to provide free eye examinations and a complete set of glasses to any needy student in Manatee County. The foundation also supports and provides glasses to the patients at Turning Points, whose mission is to provide, coordinate, and facilitate services to the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless in Manatee County.
The Hernando De Soto Historical Society, Inc. is a community organization of 150 Conquistadors (volunteer members) who celebrate the historical significance of Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto’s landing near the mouth of the Manatee River in May 1539. Financially they support a sister organization, the nonprofit Conquistador Historical Foundation, which provides monies to local community charities, funds scholarships, and sponsors educational programs; including a student exchange program with Bradenton’s Sister City of Barcarrota, Spain.
We encourage you to become involved in this community-wide charitable event, which creates a great opportunity for your business to increase its customer base. Thank you in advance for taking the time and consideration to become involved in this year’s event.
Best Regards,
The Beertopia Planning Committee
Dr. Sarah Mackie, Eye Center Inc, Vision Foundation
Ph: 941-795-2020
sarahlouann@gmail.com
Hernando De Soto Historical Society
Ph: 941-747-1998
megan@desotohq.com