Canada’s longest-running craft beer-only festival offered so much to enjoy
It was the 25th anniversary for the Great Canadian Beer Festival and in spite of the rain on Saturday the festival went off without a hitch.
The sunny Friday evening portion saw plenty of costumes in addition to the usual crowd of excited beer enthusiasts, and brewers catching up with old friends. Saturday seemed to be a different story with rain pummeling the event. In spite of the weather more than a few brave festival-goers donned their rubber boots to trudge through the wet grass. By mid-afternoon the rain had all but ceased and the crowd turned out in droves. As usual there were plenty of lines even as the final horn sounded.
The organizers for the festival need to be given praise along with a pat on the back and a raised glass. Year over year they put on the festival with ever more breweries clamoring to be part of the action. Each year they deliver hands-down one of the best – if not the best – organized festivals in the province. Given the glut of festivals we’re seeing these days, it’s nice to see the GCBF sticking to their roots while also offering other options such as this year’s cask tent, sponsored by the Drake Beer Parlour.
As with any festival, there’s always concern that new rules and regulations or other factors will make putting on the event too onerous an endeavour. Given how many people show up each day to the Great Canadian Beer Festival, as well as the injection into the local economy from the hospitality industry in particular, it should go without saying that I hope this festival continues going strong for another 25 years.
So cheers to the Great Canadian Beer Festival! See you all again next year!
