By Bethany Overland

Call the babysitter: The Des Moines City Council just approved the city's first "Brews and Blues" festival. It's certainly not an event for kids, but that doesn't mean it won't benefit them.

As part of the Des Moines Rotary Club's "Music for Youth/Music for Life" service project, all proceeds from the music-laden, beer-sipping festival will provide instruments to local fourth and fifth graders to encourage early participation in the musical arts.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 25.

"Often the arts and music are the first to go during [school] budget cuts," said Brian Snure, speaking on behalf of the Des Moines Rotary Club. He said Brews and Blues will help to encourage schools' music programs by supplementing kids from low-income families with instruments, supplies and repairs they may not be able to otherwise afford.

"Any elementary school within our service area will be included," Snure added. This would include the many Des Moines children who attend Federal Way School District's nearby Woodmont Elementary.

The Rotary plans to make this festival an annual fund-raising event. This year's festivities will be held from noon to 7 p.m. at the Des Moines Marina beach park.

Snure said the club is planning for 12 to 15 local breweries to be serving Washington's best microbrew beers, starting with favorites like Manny's and selects from the Pike Place Brewery.

"Only craft breweries," Snure said. "No Bud Light girls here!"

Des Moines' B & E Meats is also getting involved, Snure said, by providing its tri-tip sandwiches for sale at the event. Other local food vendors will also be joining the festivities.

City Councilman Matt Pina called the idea "spot on."

"It's not just a great event for the city, but its intent is to help keep the arts and music in our schools," he said. "I think that's just incredible."

So enjoy what will be the last of our summer's sun, have a beer and listen to some blues-heck, have another beer. It's not every day you can say your liver actually did something nice for the community.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.DMRotary.org for $20. Tickets sold the day of the event will be $25.

Bethany Overland is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.