The 5th Annual Hop Harvest Smoke Out takes place this year on September 1st from 4 pm to 9 pm at The Yard Amphitheater at Ray Brothers BBQ!   What began as a small event behind the restaurant has turned into a daylong festival with vendors, multiple stages, world- renowned musicians, hops and beer demonstrations from local farmers, and more. This year’s headlining act is Root Shock.   To celebrate the event’s fifth year, the first 50 attendees through the doors will receive a commemorative pint glass and their first beer will be on the house.   The restaurant will be closed, but RBQ will be serving items from their food truck outside. The inside bar will be open with beer, wine and spirits. The outdoor bar will be open for cans and draft beer. The Hamilton Hop Mission will be on-site doing educational talks about their homegrown hops and attendees will have the opportunity to add fresh hops to their draft beer.   There will be a handful of craft and merch vendors on- site as well, including artisanal jewelry by Courtney Elise Handmade and wood burned designs by Shady Grove Burns.   This event is all ages and kids 12 and under get in for free. Feel free to bring blankets and chairs and get comfortable!   This event will happen rain or shine.   The headlining act, Root Shock, is a high energy roots, soul and reggae group from Syracuse, New York. Conscious, soulful, uplifting, even healing - that’s how many fans of Root Shock have described the band’s infectious sound and energy. With a reputation like that, it’s unsurprising that this group is indebted to reggae, a class of music forever married to love, humanity, social change, and an almost tangible sense of sunlight.   This year’s supporting acts include Sophistafunk, Chris Eves and the New Normal, and The Old Main. Sophistafunk, also from Syracuse, has gained international notoriety with their unique combination of live hip hop, funk, and jam music. Chris Eves and the New Normal blurs the lines between rock, funk, and blues with a healthy dose of jam band influences. Finally, The Old Main, hailing from the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, has drawn favorable comparisons to bands such as The Avett Brothers, The Band, and Dawes while retaining a sound and style uniquely their own. Folk/rock, Adirondack folk, foot stomping folk, or alt-Americana: no matter what genre you’d use to describe them, you’re guaranteed to enjoy their performance. All four groups have graced the stage at The Yard Amphitheater in the past, and we are so excited to welcome them back for a day of great food, great friends and great music.