TOP 10 REASONS YOU CAN’T MISS THE EDMONTON CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL THIS YEAR!

“There definitely seems to be something special going on for the festival this year,” says Alberta Beer Festivals CEO Mark Kondrat. “Every year, the Edmonton Craft Beer Festival (May 31/June1) has gotten bigger and better, but this year, the growth has been incredible. We’ve doubled ticket sales and we have over 125% of the exhibitors we had last year.” In its 7th year, the event has become one of the fastest growing and largest beer festivals in the world. “So much goes on at the event, it really is a festival everyone can enjoy. You don’t have to love beer to love Beerfest, and you don’t have to love every beer or spirit being sampled. The whole point is to try things you might not normally try so you can find a new favorite and have a great time!”

This year, as well as bringing back some festival favorites, we have some extra special things planned. With that in mind, here are our top 10 reasons to attend the 2019 Edmonton Craft Beer Festival this year.

1) Come Thirsty!
Reason #1? Beer. There are over 160 breweries/distilleries/cideries/meaderies to sample and enjoy. ‘Alberta has always enjoyed a great import beer selection, and with the rapid expansion in the number of craft breweries in the province, we now have an equally impressive local beer scene,’ says Dillon Stecyk, Director of Sales for ABF. With new launches, one-of-a-kind casks, and seasonals, Beerfest might be your only chance to sample some of these incredible beers. And title sponsor Sobeys Liquor will have a store on site, so when you’re ready to leave, you can take your new favorite beer with you.

2) Spirit, Spirit – Let’s Hear It!
The Craft Distillery District is an event within an event that will let you meet the distillers who craft their amazing spirits, and also learn how to mix them to make unique and flavourful drinks. Become the mixologist you always wanted to be, or taste something ‘out there’ you can tell people at work about!

3) Lounging Around!
There are many lounges and destination area of the festivals you’ll want to check out. Two of the most sought after areas are going to be the ABF Lounge – with media wall, the RAHR Malting Cask Stage (where you can try one of a kind casks!) and more; and the Brightside #BeTheBrewer Contest Lounge – where you’ll not only be one of the first to sample this year’s Brightside #BeTheBrewer Beer – CTRL-ALT-D’WHEAT Hefeweizen – you’ll also be able to immerse yourself in a one of a kind installation that brings the beer to life!

4) Hear the Stories Behind the Beer!
The ever-popular Brew Master Seminars hosted by Craft Beer Market allow you to hear the stories behind the brewers, the breweries, and the beers – all while sampling some of their amazing libations.

5) Yummy, May I Introduce You to Yummy!
The Cooking with Beer Seminars are back – and you’ll want to make sure you get there early as these seminars are always lined up and always full. Learn how to pair beer with food and also use beer as an ingredient in your own recipes.

6) Come Together!
Community. Nothing brings people together like good food and beverage. The Edmonton Craft Beer Festival is about coming together – having fun together – celebrating Edmonton and Alberta together. Every ABF event supports charities. For this event, ABF has donated tickets to over 70 Alberta organizations to help with fundraising – and their charities of choice are once again Kids Up Front and the YESS and the Kidney Foundation. It takes over 200 volunteers and organizers ten months and countless hours to put together this festival and ABF is very proud of the work they do to support community across the province.

7) Never Miss A Beat!
If you like live music, it doesn’t get much better than Beerfest! New this year, we are proud to be showcasing the Sled Island Music Festival, where you’ll be able to hear incredible local talent . Also, back again is the ever popular Sherlock Holmes Stage – this area brings its own unique vibe to the festival.

8) Eat, Drink & Be Merry!
In addition to the already mentioned beers and spirits you can sample at the festival, you’ll also be able to taste delicious food from 20+ fantastic local pubs, restaurants, and eateries, along with ciders, meads, and a selection of other mixed beverages.

9) Be An Insider!
Being in the ‘know’ not only makes your life easier, it also makes you look a little cooler too! A few tips we like to share:

• Stay hydrated to enjoy the show longer. Mix in water every few samples and you’ll be able to enjoy the festival all night
• Take the train! The LRT runs right to the Expo Centre. There will be lots of cabs, ubers, etc. All we care about is that you get home safe!
• Know where things like the washrooms, the sample tokens, etc. are. It will make the night go so much smoother.
• Get there early. Lots of great things happen throughout the festival, but the earlier you get there, the more time you will have to visit the different highlights. There’s too much to see in one visit (or one weekend for that matter), but the earlier you get there, the more you’ll be able to experience.
• Do your research – https://albertabeerfestivals.com/festivals/edmonton-craft-beer-festival/

10) You Are A VIP!
We like to think everyone who attends the Edmonton Craft Beer Festival is special, but those who get VIP Beer Geek tickets experience a few special features including private VIP lounges with exclusive VIP washrooms; free entry into their choice of seminars, special prize draws, and more.

…oh and one more: Great Deals! We want our festival to not only be an incredible time – but also affordable. Right now, you can save 20% off your festival tickets when you use the promo code SAVE20 when you go to www.albertabeerfestivals.com. Of course, if you are close to a Sobeys or Safeway – Liquor or Grocery – you can get incredible deals by purchasing your tickets there.

The Edmonton Craft Beer Festival is already considered one of the premier beer festivals in the world – and this year’s version is shaping up to be the best one ever!

For tickets, visit:
EDMONTON CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL – MAY 31st & JUNE 1st
Get Tickets At: https://www.showpass.com/2019-edmonton-craft-beer-festival/

And keep up to date with everything happening in the Alberta beer community by following us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram at @ABBeerfestivals