"Utica Brews!" is a logo we designed to help promote the revitalization and redevelopment of Varick Street and the Brewery District. It features a caricature of a bartender drawing a mug of beer, and we've made it available on all types of merchandise including golf shirts, t-shirts, tank tops, sweatshirts, hats, beer mugs and coaster sets. More than a cute character, the "Utica Brews!" bartender represents an attitude about our city. Yes, we brew beer in Utica, indeed one of the oldest and finest brands in the country. But the double meaning of the word "brews" is meant to show that we have something special going on in Utica, something that says our city takes a back seat to no one in terms of its people or its quality of life. The Boilermaker Road Race, America's Greatest Heart Run & Walk, The Ride For Missing Children, Saranac Thursdays, The Riggie Fest, Utica Monday Night, The Stanley Theater, Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, The Saranac Brewery Tour - the list goes on and on!

The city of Utica "brews" through its vibrant ethnic communities, through their rich histories, unique customs, and endless varieties of food! Have a green beer at the St. Patrick's Day Parade, or enjoy pizza frite at one of the Italian feasts! Try Polish kielbasa or pierogi, or choose German, Bosnian, Russian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Hispanic or African American specialties! Where else can you get chicken riggies or Utica greens? Utica "brews" through its rich history. Visit the Oneida County Historical Society, The Utica Library, or take a Landmark Society walking tour. See magnificent churches and beautiful buildings and parks. Utica "brews" at its colleges, SUNY IT, Mohawk Valley Community College and Utica College. And Utica "brews" with an unmatched variety of summer and winter activities at nearby mountains, lakes, forests and rivers. Is anything more beautiful than autumn in Upstate New York?

We hope the "Utica Brews!" logo will come to represent the pride all Uticans feel, regardless of where they might be in the country or the world. We hope "Utica Brews!" will come to represent the positive attitude that has helped us accomplish so much despite economic difficulties that have inevitably become a part of our lives. We hope "Utica Brews!" will come to symbolize a glorious past and an indomitable hope for the future.