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Broken Bat Brewing, 135 E. Pittsburgh Ave. Photo taken March 1, 2024 by Sophie Bolich.
Pair your drink with a digital detox at Broken Bat Brewing‘s “No-Phone Friday.”
The upcoming event, held in partnership with Johnsonville, encourages attendees to power down their devices and connect with others face-to-face.
In a time when our screens are rarely more than an arm’s length away, Broken Bat organized the initiative as a way to bring people together, sending the message that it’s okay — even essential — to unplug from time to time.
This month’s No-Phone Friday will take place on Aug. 30 from noon to 10 p.m.
“It’s a simple exchange but a meaningful gesture,” said Broken Bat Founder Tim Pauly, in a statement. “Whether it’s 20 minutes or the entire stay, we want to reward guests’ commitment with easy, fun ways to engage with one another. Having Johnsonville get behind this sends a powerful message that it’s OK to take a break. Enjoy each other’s company over brats and a beer!”
The brewery, 135 E. Pittsburgh Ave., has already hosted two such events this summer, but the August installment is poised to sweeten the deal with free food and other giveaways.
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In exchange for leaving phones with brewery staff — to be safely stowed in a lockbox — guests will receive a numbered card that can be redeemed for a free game of darts and a second beer; the first brew is on you.
Other available activities include pool, cards, board games and puzzles. Johnsonville brats will be served from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The sausage company will further deliver on larger prizes and giveaways, including gift baskets, product vouchers and a Sizzling Sausage Grill Plus — an indoor electric grill.
No-Phone Friday aligns with Johnsonville’s “Keep It Juicy” campaign, launched in April with the goal to foster positivity, fun and human connection.
A news release notes that the campaign has so far worked to promote uplifting content on social media while encouraging customers to spend more time together.
“We’re big fans of people hanging out in real life,” said Jamie Schmelzer, senior director of marketing for Johnsonville. “We applaud everyone involved in these events for being so intentional about making time for fun and prioritizing togetherness. We hope our tasty sausage, prizes and giveaways make something great even better.”
The two companies hope to expand the positive influence of the event by accepting donations for Mental Health America of Wisconsin.
As a reminder, giving up one’s phone is encouraged, but not required for visitors on Aug. 30. Broken Bat’s earlier events yielded between 30% and 40% participation, the brewery reports.
Broken Bat is open Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m.
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