The NABC Weekend: Music at the park, Prohibition at the Amphitheater and the unknown bicycle race.

Last week's Ben Miller Band show at Bicentennial Park was widely praised. Shown above is how great things can happen when music and beer meet. Accordingly, let's see what the calendar shows for the coming weekend.

FRIDAY the 25th

Tonight (Friday, July 25), New Albany’s Bicentennial Park Summer Concert Series features the Junk Yard Dogs, and Production Simple offers this synopsis:

Junk Yard Dogs is a soul/R&B band from Louisville. A chance meeting between bassist Eric Makowski and drummer/spirit animal Van Campbell at the fabled Air Devil’s Inn spurred the formation of the group. It quickly assembled a band and moved into Smoketown, where the band has incubated and carved out their signature sound of B-side soul classics and dance originals.

As usual, NABC will offer Progressive Pints to accompany the show at Bicentennial Park. Also on Friday, roughly one block from Bicentennial Park, Bank Street Brewhouse will be open and pouring, and at this juncture, permit me to offer a quote from our August media kit.

In May, NABC announced the suspension of its Bank Street Brewhouse kitchen, and shortly thereafter, a deal was reached to bring the Big Four Burgers mobile trailer to BSB on Fridays, concurrent with the Bicentennial Park Concert Series. Unfortunately, Big Four Burgers has been unable to staff the trailer on a regular basis, so henceforth, we’ll be moving in a different direction. We understand that it takes time to build a new program, and the effort at BSB will continue.

Wick's has stepped into the breach: Be advised that if you call Wick's for pizza delivery to Bank Street Brewhouse, Friday evenings or any other time, you'll receive a 20% discount on your order. Perhaps the Big Four burger trailer will be back some day. It was a fine idea, but not all ideas pan out.

Also on Friday evening, you will not be able to enjoy craft beer or wine at the Seussical the Musical performance at New Albany's Riverfront Amphitheater.

Seussical performances this weekend will be alcohol-free.

I've been informed that the city of New Albany has asked the organizers to refrain from offering alcoholic beverages for the Seussical event, so if I mentioned it to you recently, please recalibrate and know that the musical will go on as originally planned, without our participation.

What the heck; my time's worth nothing, but of course you are heartily encouraged to attend a performance of Seussical, which take place on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. New Albany RiverStage is trying to make a necessary point that if the amphitheater is used for quality events, people will come, and improvements will be justified. Of course, life's always improved with better beer ... just not this time.

SATURDAY the 26th

NABC will take part in the Fifth Annual GnawBrew Beer, Art and Music Festival, which is set in the rustic hills of Brown County, Indiana at eXplore Brown County/Valley Branch Paintball Retreat, and brings together local home-brewers, wine makers, local and regional professional breweries and beer connoisseurs along with Hoosier artists and musicians.

Tony Beard, NABC's graphics-wizard-in-residence, is attending the 2014 Art & Ale Biergarten in Monticello, Indiana. The fest is being organized by Flat12 brewer Sean Manahan.

SUNDAY the 27th

No, you're not the only one who knew next to nothing about it.

The New Albany Criterium is a flat six-corner criterium course in the Heart of Historic New Albany. The Start/Finish will be near the intersection of Pearl and Market Street. The crit course is 0.7 miles in length and is run counter-clockwise. The race is sanctioned by USA Cycling. Sponsored by Clarksville Schwinn and PB Whayne.

Starting a noon, cyclists and observers can refuel at Bank Street Brewhouse. Bring a picnic basket, pack in carry-outs or order delivery, and pair our Beers of Proven Merit with the very best food from local eateries ... well, at least those open on Sunday.

Always remember that Indiana does have carry-out beer sales on Sunday: At craft breweries. For carry-out wine on Sunday, visit our friends at River City Winery or Indiana's many other artisanal wine makers.

To be reminded of why Indiana's alcohol laws governing beer temperature and daily availability came to be, visit the Indy Star: Will Indiana ever expand Sunday alcohol and cold beer sales?