Celebrating Life at Mayday

I have to admit that most people wouldn’t think of having a memorial for their husband at a micro- brewery. But then, my husband, Jack, and I are known for not always following convention.

Jack didn’t want to do anything upon his death, but there were too many friends and family who needed a chance to say good-bye. So, his family and I discussed having a Life Celebration instead.

 Since he loved a good beer and German food, I threw out having a party at Mayday Brewery. I knew Jack really liked their beer. His family agreed. As one of his visiting fraternity brothers said at the event, “It is so Jack.”

We had our celebration on Saturday 2/20/2016. Ozzy and his staff were great. We shared the tasting room space from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. on a Saturday. That allowed us to take over the main sitting area. We played Jack’s favorite music over the sound system, and showed a slide show of his life and loves on the big screen. Local caterer, Jo, from Jo’s Cakes & Catering created a German feast that passed the test of his German-born family. Mayday staff kept the beer flowing.

 The atmosphere was perfect for Jack’s eclectic tastes in music: including classic German oomph, Frank Zappa, A Pirate’s Life from Disney, Shout from Animal House, Parliment, Trisha Yearwood, Village People, Coolio, and the a piece from the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice. The laid-back atmosphere was a great way to say good-bye to a man who began every dinner we had out together with the toast, “To life.”

 As she was heading out, a friend told me that when she passed she wanted me to put together the same thing for her. “I mean exactly the same, same food, same location, same beverages, same music. Just pictures of my life.”

 Ozzy, we might be starting a trend here.

Mardi Gras, Boro Art Crawl and Hot Chicken on a Waffle

 Wow! Last week at Mayday was amazing! Huge crowds, great music, way cool art, Hot Chicken Waffle Sliders, and tons of fun! In just the few short months I've been here, I've developed a sense of ownership, a feeling that I want Mayday to do well and succeed. I want everything to look good and be nice and everyone that comes to enjoy themselves. That's part of the attraction to Mayday and I am so excited when I see huge crowds of people come out. This week was an example of how great the experience can be. I am fairly certain many people that came out agreed.

The week started with a Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras celebration. Tim Carroll and Luella treated us with a wonderful show that night. They were so much fun and their old-school rock and roll sound was great. There were several new people and a very nice crowd for a Tuesday.

Friday was the Boro Art Crawl which was huge! Friday night had a packed house of lots of new people. There were all kinds of beautiful art on display, some body painting and very interesting people. My friend Linsey came from Paducah to hangout and check out Mayday and loved it. Everyone had such a good time and was so friendly and happy. The Chocolate Raspberry Stout small batch was delicious also. "Thelma and the Sleaze" rocked it late into the night to benefit “Reclaim Ourselves.”

Saturday began with Yoga in the brewery at 1:00 and was followed by the “Love Bites” Anti-Valentine’s Day Party. It was also a full house and lots of fun decorations. My Roots Food Truck introduced the Hot Chicken Waffle Sliders which were a huge hit! I think they have decided to keep those on the menu for a while (just in case you missed out). “The Secret Commonwealth” put on an excellent show and there was lots of fun playing darts and drinking the amazing Red Hibiscus Sour. 

I had such a good time this week, and loved seeing everyone else having a good time as well. Mayday has so many fun things planned, so get out of the house and come by. More great music and fun is scheduled for this weekend. I will be there both Friday and Saturday so make sure to introduce yourself and tell me your Mayday story.

Terronn - A Mayday Treasure

Enjoying the beautiful snow days? By the way, have you met Terronn? If no, then you are missing out. If yes, then you'll know what I'm expressing here. In the previous two blogs I elude to the community; family feel of the Mayday experience. This time I wanted to focus on Terronn, a Mayday Treasure that embodies all of the those qualities that help make the experience.
Terronn first visited in May of 2014. In the beginning, he started a few scattered visits, but then became more regular as he started to develop friendships with the staff and customers. One day he offered Ozzy his assistance with anything he could do. It didn’t take long for him to receive a text from Ozzy asking him to be the guest pourer on the Saturday tours. The rest is history!! The Mayday Treasure is born.
The motto of Mayday Brewery is "Beer, Hugs, and Rock n' Roll" no one embodies this motto more than Terronn. In fact, Terronn and Ozzy were the welcoming committee that greeted me on my first visit. That was definitely a very memorable impression. A quick visit to check out a new place turned into a 3 hour visit and fabulous conversation with Terronn. His very friendly, open and welcoming demeanor topped that visit as one like no other and ensured my return to Mayday. Now each time I walk in I receive a huge bear hug, a smile, and a sincere "How are you?” from this tall dark and very handsome man. Trust me when I say that doesn't happen just anywhere.
Terronn is super cool and always smiling and happy. His energy is enough to make anyone surrounding him smile and experience something special. In his time at Mayday he continues to see the growth of the community within the brewery. Many more people are on board to volunteer their time to help create a very special place for the city of Murfreesboro. He gives everyone who meets him a wonderful sense of happiness and community spirit. Ask Terronn why he volunteers at Mayday, he’ll tell you, ‘See that guy right there (points at Ozzy)? I love that guy and I love the people that come into Mayday.”

Terronn pours his love into Mayday and on the tour he’ll be pouring delicious beer into your glass. His face lights up when it is time for the show and it would not be the same without his humor and smiles and energy. He thoroughly enjoys volunteering his time and you can feel his love with every glass poured. But I don’t want to give too much away. You just have to be sure to experience for yourself and I think you'll agree. So be sure to come out this Saturday and experience Terronn, The Mayday Treasure, for yourself! Don't forget your hug either. As always, fun times, good music and excellent food to be enjoyed at Mayday.

Wednesday Night - Date Night.

Hello, it Stephanie, Mayday's guest blogger here with another peak into the Mayday Experience. 
Wednesday nights in the 'Boro...where do you go? What do you do? It's hump day, the beginning of the downhill slope towards the weekend. Yes!! So, why not start the descent with some delicious beer and great company? Especially when it's 2-for-1 pints at Mayday. That's what I'm talking about! My recent Wednesday night visit was loads of fun and very interesting. I met even more really cool people and enjoyed some delicious beer and hilarious conversation. Wednesdays really give you the family feel of Mayday. You will meet several of the "regulars" and find plenty of fun conversations and activities. There is nothing like sitting at the bar and cutting up and getting to know the staff and person sitting next to you. I love to talk beer and Kelsey is full of very interesting beer knowledge. Not to mention local homebrewers that will come in and spark up very conversation about their recent brewing experiences. It is so much fun to hear the different things each person learns and shares in their experiences. Really shows how the brewery promotes community relationships.
Which brings me to another very interesting conversation I had with Mike. While  watching a game of darts, I asked the participants what they liked about Mayday and what makes it special. In response, Mike said, "It's the best place to bring your Tender date." Haha....what a killer quote. It took a few moments for me to stop laughing and write that down. Just a perfect example of the fun you will have there. My experience at Mayday has proven that as an accurate statement. It is the perfect place to bring any date. As soon as you walk in the energy of the environment instantly creates a calming, welcoming feel. You can relax and enjoy your date, play some games, listen to good music, and get a good deal on drinks. I say you have a very, very high chance of a successful date.
Speaking of fun dates, or just hanging out with cool people, there are tons of activities at the brewery to help make these times awesome. It is most certainly a very interactive, open and friendly experience. You can enjoy a very entertaining game of darts (a blog dedicated to Darts Etiquette 101 is coming...hilarious stuff), or Giant Jenga. You can pile into the round booth with a group and play one of many board games available. A perfect opportunity to squeeze in next to that date. What a great place to just hangout and chill! Its family. Its home! "The cheers of the 'Boro" as Mike says. I'm sure many other people agree. I definitely do.

If you haven't been on Wednesday night then you should start this week. Like I said 2-for-1 pints, fun people, fun games, fun times!! A great mid week relaxation experience and great way to start looking forward to the weekend. Get you some delicious food, delicious beer, and a stellar experience. Then make plans to come back Saturday for the tour and enjoy some killer music!!!