Wrap up the summer with live music from Restless Heart, a whole bunch of ice cold beer, and tons of great food. The social event of the season, the 2017 Pork and Hops Festival, makes its way to the new amphitheater at Las Colonias this Friday and Saturday. Save yourself some time, money, and frustration, and ride the free shuttle. Here are five reasons why you should.

This year's Pork and Hops includes Restless Heart, one of the best live bands in the country for my money, along with Kip Winger, The Boys of Summer, The Desert Flyer Band, competition BBQ teams, and delicious beer.

The event has a new home, the amphitheater at Las Colonias. This is a good thing for about a hundred different reasons. One thing doesn't change, though. Whenever you have a big event, you have parking headaches. It could be the Pepsi Center, and you still have parking headaches.

This is where the free shuttle enters the equation. RIDE THAT THING! Why deal with the congestion associated with event parking? Here are five reasons why you should:

  • Both Friday and Saturday, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., you can ride round trip on the complimentary shuttle. This will have you there in plenty of time for all concerts.
  • Las Colonias features plenty of parking, but nowhere near enough for this event. Why park blocks away and huff it all the to the venue?
  • Save yourself some gas money. If you live anywhere near Horizon Drive, ride the shuttle and let someone else pick up the fuel bill.
  • In the event you have a little too much drinky-drinky, you won't have to worry about drinking and driving. Let the other guy get behind the wheel.
  • Free is pretty hard to beat.

There you go, five solid reasons to ride the shuttle. Both pick-up and drop-off are at the Marriott's Courtyard and Residence Inn on Horizon Drive. No matter which route you take, the trip from Horizon Drive to Las Colonias is at least 4.9 miles and a good 14-minutes travel time. If you're coming in from that part of town, why not let the other guy do the work?

Pork and Hops map
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Pork and Hops is this weekend! Don't let it pass you by. Save yourself some time, frustration, and possibly even a few bucks, and ride the free shuttle compliments of Marriot.

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