Barrel And Flow Fest Leadership Considering New Locations Away From Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Leadership for Barrel and Flow Fest is considering new locations away from Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh next summer.
The restaurant has reinstated a manager who was accused of using racial slurs during the festival last month. The festival, created to celebrate Black brewers and creatives from across the world, will not be coming back to the South Side Works next summer. Leadership is looking at the Strip District or Hazlewood, among others.
According to Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh, the investigation into the claims of racial discrimination on behalf of its general manager has concluded. And based on the findings, the manager in question has been "provisionally reinstated."
"We don't want these environments that foster sexism, racism, any type of bigotry to be anywhere here in Pittsburgh, knowingly," said Day Bracey, the founder of the festival.
Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh said a legal counsel investigated the claims and says there is an "absence of evidence corroborating the allegations." Bracey does not understand how.
"I know for a fact that at least four individuals who witnessed it firsthand were interviewed," Bracey said. "So if their testimony isn't enough, then what will it take to get him out of there?"
Bracey told KDKA that he has a meeting scheduled for next week with Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh's leadership. He said he can offer accounts of what allegedly happened on Sept. 11.
While band members were unloading their equipment near the stage next to Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh, "Harassing them, threatening to call the cops on them. He was also screaming in the faces of staff members about the noise level of the music, claiming that his patrons couldn't hear themselves speak. From one of the accounts, at the end of it, these N-words have to get out of here," Bracey said.
Bracey said the event was successful, with thousands of people attending. He said his next mission is convincing people that Pittsburgh can be a safe space for people of color.
"Now we have to convince folks that we're able to create these safe spaces where they're not going to face this type of harassment," Bracey said.
