Concord's Barley House Ties 21st Burgerfest To U.S. 250th Anniversary Celebration

The Barley House Restaurant & Tavern in downtown Concord will hold its 21st annual Burgerfest from Monday through Saturday, June 20, pairing the longtime fundraiser with a menu themed around the 250th anniversary of the United States.

The restaurant and sponsors will donate a portion of the proceeds from every burger sold during the event to Dartmouth Health Children’s.

Burgerfest began in 2005 as a project by co-owners Brian and Deb Shea. This year, The Barley House said it will set aside its regular menu for one week and offer 14 specialty burgers divided into two categories, Burgerfest Classics and Liberty Burgers. The menu will feature premium all-beef patties that the restaurant said are locally sourced.

Local business sponsors are backing namesake burgers and matching donations for each custom burger sold. Since its first year, The Barley House has helped raise more than $100,000 for Dartmouth Health Children’s, according to the announcement.

“We wanted to help kids — that's the bottom line,” co-owner Brian Shea said. “Burgerfest is an incredible opportunity to push our kitchen staff to create something unique while using premium, locally sourced regional ingredients.”

Among the burgers listed are The Founder's Steam, sponsored by American Barber Studios, with aged cheddar, chopped white onion, B1 Bourbon Sauce, and a Barley 25 IPA steam on a brioche bun. The Plains Drifter, sponsored by S&W Sports, features a bison patty with smoked gouda, crispy bacon, blueberry-bourbon jam, lemon-dressed arugula, and whole grain mustard aioli. The Liberty Burgers lineup includes the USA Hat Trick, a triple smash burger sponsored by Sanel NAPA, and The Big Dipper, sponsored by Merrimack County Savings Bank, with a beef smash and chorizo patty served with birria dipping consommé.

The restaurant also listed other local sponsors, including Rumford Stone, Fraser Insurance Services, NH Strategic Marketing, CoolBitts, Feathered Friend Brewing Co., and Taste the Floor Radio. NH Distributors is sponsoring drafts on the limited-time menu and donated a gas grill for a raffle, according to the release.

“Burgerfest is a chance to come together in a big way for all those children and families that need it,” co-owner Deb Shea said. “What I have learned is that giving to others makes us better, stronger, and happier. We challenge our employees every day to make someone’s day better, and our community does exactly that during this week.”

The Barley House is open daily at 11:30 a.m. Guests are encouraged to arrive early because the restaurant is typically busy during Burgerfest week.

More information is available at thebarleyhouse.com and on the restaurant’s social media pages.