May 4 has always been an important date for the folks at Striped Lion Distillery in Woodbury.
Married couple Erin and Kevin Wright, owners of the local rum producer, are both big Star Wars fans, and every year on “May the Fourth” they have celebrated at the distillery with an event centered around the beloved film series.
They’ve held the event for the past five years, and each year they’ve added to their roster of Star Wars-inspired rum cocktails on the special menu. This year they featured a whopping 16 different drinks with names like Let the Wookie Win, Rebel Princess and Palpatine Punch.
But despite the usual frivolity, there’s been a great disturbance in the force. This year’s celebration was tinged with the dread of a looming turn to the dark side. Perhaps it was appropriate that “Empire” was playing during our visit to the distillery that day, as Striped Lion is destined for the carbonite chamber at the end of the month.
Just ahead of the May 4 event, the couple wrote on their Facebook page that they will soon be leaving their current Woodbury location.
“We are sad to announce that we will have to vacate our currently leased building in Woodbury at the end of May,” the message read. “We plan to go out with a bang so stop by all month!”
In that announcement they revealed details about the Star Wars event, along with their seasonal tiki-drink-heavy menu that will be available until their closing at the end of the month. They also left a glimmer of a new hope on the horizon, suggesting that the change in venue will not mean the end of their saga.
“This will be our last month of operations until we can reopen in a new location,” the message read. “Where and when to be determined, so stay tuned.”
Erin Wright confirmed to us they are in the process of finding a new base, but said details are still too up in the air to announce just yet. We’ll be checking back in with them soon to see where and when their next sequel will be take place.
In the meantime, stop in and see them off before they move and follow them on Facebook and Instagram for any news of what’s to come.
FRONT PHOTO: Erin and Kevin Wright pictured outside their distillery Striped Lion in Woodbury.
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