Why You Need To Be At The Edmonton Craft Beer Festival June 1st & 2nd!

Unless you’ve attended the Edmonton Craft Beer Festival before, you might not realize just how fast it has grown or all the different elements there are to enjoy at it. ‘You don’t need to love beer or spirits to love the Edmonton Craft Beer Festival. So much goes on at the event, it really is a festival anyone can enjoy,” says Mark Kondrat, CEO of Alberta Beer Festivals. “Every year I meet people who have attended for the first time, and it is really gratifying to hear feedback about how much they love the festival and that it was so much more than they thought it would be.”

With the festival happening June 1st and 2nd at the Expo Centre, we thought it was the perfect time to bring you our top 5 reasons to attend the event this year:

1. The Beer! There is the beer of course with over 150 breweries 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,’ adds Kondrat. With new launches, one-of-a-kind casks, and seasonals, Beerfest might be your only chance to sample some of these incredible beers. If you are into one-of-a-kind beers, you’ll want to check out the RAHR Malting cask stage to try some truly unique brews. 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. So Much More to Drink and Eat! The Craft Distillery District, a micro-event within the festival, is back and better than ever! Craft Distillery District will showcase a dozen of Alberta’s craft distillers – an industry growing almost as quickly as the craft beer industry. Sample these spirits, talk to the people responsible for distilling them, and learn how to make some fantastic drinks you can enjoy all summer long. Add that to the more than 15 fantastic local pubs, restaurants, and eateries, along with ciders, meads, and a few other mixed beverages, and you have yet another reason this festival appeals to everyone.

3. Entertainment! There is always something great going on at the festival! Back again this year is the award winning ATB Beer University. With more and more people wanting to learn where their food and beverage come from, Beer U is the perfect place to experience the grains-to-glass concept. With a new cask stage, industry leaders, and the chance to sample the ABF #BeTheBrewer contest beer, this is one school you’ll want to attend. And it wouldn’t be a festival without great local entertainment. Check out fantastic live music by Joanne Janzen and Duff Robison on the Sherlock Holmes stage, and watch the big game on the giant 16 foot screen in the sports lounge.

4. Learn from the Best! The festival has two amazing seminars to enjoy. The ever-popular Brew Master Seminar presented by Craft Beer Market, allows you to hear the stories behind the brewers, the breweries, and the beers. The Granville Island Brewing Cooking with Beer seminar features chocolate and cheese pairings!

5. Community! Nothing brings people together like good food and beverage. Think about how you get people to help you move – buy them beer. Need to celebrate something great in your life or discuss big events? Get together for a beer. The Edmonton Craft Beer Festival is all about community – having fun together – celebrating Edmonton and Alberta together. And every ABF event supports charities. Every year, ABF (Alberta Beer Festivals) donates tickets for its events to over 70 Alberta charities/organizations to help with fundraising – and their two charities of choice are once again Kids Up Front and Edmonton’s Food Bank (Please remember to bring a non-perishable food item when you come!). It takes over 200 volunteers and organizers ten months and countless hours to put together this festival – it is a festival Edmonton and Alberta can be proud of.

EDMONTON CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL – June 1 & 2 @ the EXPO CENTRE

Get Tickets At: https://www.showpass.com/2018-edmonton-craft-beer-festival/ and SAVE 20% when you use the promo code SAVE20!

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

We’re giving away a trip to Mexico! ABF wants to send you and a friend to Mexico – CLICK HERE to enter now!  

To get the most out of your Beerfest experience, download the JustBeer APP for an interactive map, times of important highlights at the festival, a full exhibitor list, and keep track of your favorite beers at the event. 

Thanks and we’ll see you at the event!

Bill Robinson

President – Alberta Beer Festivals