HINGHAM - October 14 - The Hingham Select Board unanimously approved two special one-day alcohol licenses for Vitamin Sea Brewing to operate a beer garden at downtown events, marking what officials called a significant trial run for a permanent downtown brewery presence. The licenses cover the 20th annual Hingham Arts Walk on October 19th and the Trick or Treating in the Square event on October 25th.
The Full Story
In a brief but consequential meeting on Tuesday afternoon, a two-member Select Board approved licenses allowing Vitamin Sea Brewing to serve beer and wine at a designated beer garden location behind a building on Station Street during two major downtown events. The approval represents the culmination of discussions between the Hingham Downtown Association, brewery owner Dino Funari, and property owner Diana Aveni.
Amy Brown, representing the Hingham Downtown Association, presented both license requests to the board, emphasizing that the events would serve as a pilot program for a concept the town has been working toward for years. Brown explained that the beer garden would occupy patio space behind Aveni’s building along Station Street, and that both the brewery and property owner had agreed to the arrangement.
“This is our 20th annual Arts Walk, and we had been in conversations with Vitamin Sea Brewing to have a beer garden,” Brown told the board. “We were proposing it as a trial for a beer garden in the future, and I think this would just be a great introduction to the concept, and I think it would just add... I don’t think there would be like a lot of drinking. I think it’s just a nice place to gather sort of in between this Arts Walk and encourage people to follow along Station Street.”
Brown stressed that the arrangement would include important safety measures, noting that three food trucks have already been confirmed for the Arts Walk event. “I think the food truck aspect is always important when you have drinking. I think there needs to be food,” she said.
Select Board Chair Bill Ramsey praised both the concept and Brown’s leadership of the downtown business district. “A couple years ago, we passed a bylaw that would allow a brewery in the downtown area, and the big thing with the brewers are they like to brew beer, but they don’t like to so much to be in the food business,” Ramsey explained. “This is something I think this is a good start to see if that concept would work, and I think the location you picked is fantastic.”
The chair also took time to publicly thank Brown for her service to the community. “I wanted to publicly thank you, Amy, for your dedication to the merchants in downtown. I know that you are leaving for another opportunity, and I thank you so much. You brought tremendous energy, and you’ve done a phenomenal job,” Ramsey said.
Board member Julie Strehle echoed those sentiments, saying Brown had been “a tremendous asset to promoting downtown” and wishing her well in her next endeavor. Strehle expressed enthusiasm for the trial concept, noting that both the Arts Walk and the subsequent Trick or Treating event draw large crowds to Hingham Square.
Town Administrator Tom Mayo and Sharon Perfetti both indicated that all paperwork was in order and expressed no concerns about the events.Mayo also joined in thanking Brown, noting that his department “loved working with you and is truly lamenting your departure.”
The board adjusted the serving hours during discussion. While the original application for the Arts Walk requested service from noon to 6 p.m., Brown had initially proposed noon to 4 p.m. After clarification, the board approved the original noon to 6 p.m. timeframe, giving Vitamin Sea Brewing flexibility to end earlier if business was slow.
For the October 25th Trick or Treating in the Square event, the original application also requested noon to 6 p.m., but communication from the brewery owner suggested noon to 3 p.m. After discussion about providing flexibility, the board settled on noon to 4 p.m., again allowing the brewery to close earlier if needed.
Brown noted that the Trick or Treating event would be “a little less involved” than the Arts Walk but that food would still be available, as EUROMART would be open across the street. “I just do think food and alcohol need to be paired in anything that we do,” she said.
The approval process moved swiftly, with both motions passing unanimously. Board member Liz Klein was absent from the afternoon meeting. No members of the public attended or called in to comment on the license applications.
Vitamin Sea Brewing has become a popular presence at various Hingham events, including the farmer’s market. The brewery’s owners have expressed interest in the downtown area, and town officials have been working for several years to create conditions that would allow a brewery to operate successfully in Hingham Square.
The beer garden location behind the building on Station Street positions the serving area near several artists’ displays at the far end of the Arts Walk route, potentially encouraging foot traffic through the entire event area. Brown emphasized that this aspect of the placement was intentional, designed to “promote community walkability of the Arts Walk” and provide “outdoor enhancement” to the event experience.
Why It Matters
These special licenses represent more than just alcohol service at community events. For Hingham residents and downtown business owners, the approval signals progress toward establishing a permanent brewery presence in the downtown area, a goal that has been discussed for years. The trial run will provide valuable data about how such an establishment might function in Hingham Square, particularly regarding the pairing of craft beverages with food vendors rather than a full restaurant operation. For attendees of the Arts Walk and Trick or Treating events, the beer garden offers a social gathering space that could enhance the community atmosphere while supporting local business. The success or challenges of these trial events will likely influence future decisions about permanent alcohol service establishments in the downtown district.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: Approve issuance of special one-day wine and malt beverages license to Vitamin Sea Brewing for 20th annual Hingham Arts Walk on October 19, 2025, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous (2-0). (Timestamp: 00:07:47)
Motion: Approve issuance of special one-day wine and malt beverages license to Vitamin Sea Brewing for Trick or Treating in the Square on October 25, 2025, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous (2-0). (Timestamp: 00:10:37)
Motion: Adjourn the Select Board meeting. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous (2-0). (Timestamp: 00:11:55)
Public Comment
No members of the public attended in person or remotely to provide comment during the designated public comment period.
What’s Next
Vitamin Sea Brewing will operate a beer garden at the patio space behind the building on Station Street during the 20th annual Hingham Arts Walk on October 19th and during Trick or Treating in the Square on October 25th. The success of these trial events will inform future discussions about establishing a permanent brewery presence in downtown Hingham. No other specific action items or next steps were identified.