Music from J. Alan Brown Band, catered barbecue from Papa Buck’s and locally brewed beer from all over Georgia will highlight this year’s Rhythm & Brews festival.

The Garden of the Coastal Plain at Georgia Southern University will host its fourth annual Rhythm & Brews Fundraiser Thursday from 7 to 10 p.m.

“I love the music and its fun to dance. It’s my favorite event, it’s very relaxed and casual,” Carolyn Altman, garden director, said.

Music will be provided by the J. Alan Brown Band, a Nashville style country band with rock ‘n’ roll roots.

Past Rhythm & Brews have hosted a variety of music styles from blue grass and Americana rock ‘n’ roll.

“My favorite part is the music. We always have great bands and this is the first time we’re doing country music. You can throw on your cowboy boots and have a fun night,” Kathy Tucker, garden education coordinator, said.

Like the music, the garden is mixing up the food selection this year, as Papa Buck’s Barbeque will cater the event, whose owner is a GSU alumna.

The event will provide an unlimited beer sampling from 11-15 vendors, but will also provide wine and non-alcoholic beverages for those who are not beer drinkers.

The fundraising event is the invention of members of the garden, as a way to provide a fun, casual event to the community.

“We do a wine tasting in the spring that has been very successful so we used that idea and decided to try beer,” Tucker said.

The funds raised from the event go directly towards the garden’s upkeep and future expansion.

“The garden benefits from these events. We hold education programs for students and people in the region that thousands attend. We’d really love to have more people enjoy this,” Altman, said.

Tickets cost $45 per person. The ticket will include unlimited beer sampling and dinner, and all attendees must be 21 or older.

Altman said, “Every event has been awesome. I love the whole thing. To be able to be outside, enjoy the garden with good music and a glass of beer in your hand. What’s not to love about it?”