Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

Food

No Early Beer, Long Lines For VIPS At Brewers PicNyc On Governors Island

By

John Del Signore

Published May 30, 2011

Modified Jun 1, 2011

Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

By

John Del Signore

Published May 30, 2011

Modified Jun 1, 2011

Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

[UPDATED] There has been a flurry of Twitter griping about yesterday's "Brewers PicNyc" on Governors Island, which continues today with a healthy variety of craft beer and food. Though the whole thing sounds promising enough (beer, food, and lots of sun followed by a crowded boat ride!), yesterday's kickoff appears to have hit some snags. In an ironic twist of fate that is sure to reduce you to tears, the VIPs who paid extra to get early access at 11 a.m. had their Sunday morning beer lust thwarted by the Empire State's Puritanical blue laws.

The event was co-presented by Thrillist, which promised VIP ticket buyers a green wristband entitling them to "early Admission at 11 a.m., giving you an hour to totally own the place, and hang the drapes that you like. VIP Beer & Food Pass: That means unlimited beer, food and VIP line access, plus the right to ignore that guy in the unfortunate sun hat when he bitches about your VIP line access." Thrillist sold those VIP tickets for $55, but others who bought them through the Brewers PicNyc site paid $85 for the same deal. Unfortunately, it seems like a raw one because they weren't allowed to serve beer before noon. Here's some of the best bitchiness Twitter can buy:

But it wasn't just the VIPs who suffered! Basic admission is $15, but you also need to buy tickets for beer and food, which was a major problem if you didn't bring cash, because THE ATMS ON THE ISLAND WEREN'T WORKING. And according to the venting on Twitter, the lines were too damn long, and some of the more popular food vendors ran out of food within the first two hours. But, hey, at least it didn't rain? And to be fair, there are also plenty of Twitter users who managed to enjoy themselves. Still, this isn't the first time a food/drink event has gone sideways on Governors Island: Food Truck Fest 2010, Never Forget.

We're told that this morning there will be precious beer pouring liberally at 11 a.m., and one of the people connected with the event, Jimmy Carbone of the excellent Jimmy’s No. 43, tells us, "Most people who came had a great time, especially those who came later. Some of the top trucks like Luke's Lobster, Rickshaw Dumplings were hit hard early. Today we'll have extra trucks including Asia Dog and Pizzamoto, plus larger beer areas. There will be fewer VIPs and more people later just buying food and beer. A rough start but tomorrow should be smoother!"

UPDATE: Reached for comment, a high-ranking Thrillist official tells us, "We're working with the event organizer on behalf of our members to find out how the situation could have been improved and whether/how the organizers can make it up to those who had a less than stellar experience."

Tagged

beer

beer picnyc

governors island

whaaambulance

John Del Signore

Twitter

Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

MORE food

North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.

Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.

By

Robert Sietsema

Published Oct 10, 2026

10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City

The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.

By

Robert Sietsema

Food

10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City

The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.

By

Robert Sietsema

Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.

By

Sonia Rao

5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's

By

Hannah Frishberg

Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian

By

Robert Sietsema

Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .