For craft beer lovers, it’s been four years of disappointing news since the last Great Okanagan Beer Fest took place in 2019.
The popular event at Waterfront Park has been cancelled each year between 2020-23 and it was starting to look like it may never come back.
But a new, locally-produced festival will now fill the void, and it's courtesy of the group behind Denim on the Diamond, AltiTunes and Island Time music festivals.
The first ever Kelowna Beer Fest will be held in City Park on Saturday, May 13.
It will run from 1-7 pm and feature 30 of our “backyard” breweries and cideries, along with food trucks, a retail market, local DJs, games and plenty more.
“It’s crazy to think that with all of the great breweries and cideries we have in this city, we don’t have an event dedicated to showcasing their amazing brews,” said Thick as Thieves co-founder Kurt Jory.
His partner in crime, Mitch Carefoot asked a simple question: "Every great city needs a beer fest, right?”
We certainly can’t disagree with that!
“The concept is intentionally pretty simple,” added Carefoot. “Kelowna Beer Fest is an opportunity to reconnect with friends, soak up some Okanagan spring weather and share some laughs while supporting our local brewery businesses.”
As for what will make Kelowna Beer Fest different from the departed Great Okanagan Beer Fest, Jory and Carefoot say it’s all about supporting local.
With Thick as Thieves producing the new event, it will focus on local breweries and cideries from the Okanagan and neighbouring regions.
In addition, a portion of every ticket sold will go to the Central Okanagan Brewers Association, a new local initiative created to unify the local brewery community.
“We’re excited to be a part of a locally produced beer fest with a focus on showcasing Kelowna’s breweries and cideries,” noted Kyle Nixon, owner and operator of BNA Brewing.
“The local brewery scene has exploded in the past few years, so it’ll be a great chance for people to get a taste of Kelowna.”
Tickets to the inaugural Kelowna Beer Fest are on sale now for $35 through the event’s website. Beer lovers should keep their eye out for a limited-time local promo code on social media that will provide a $10 discount.
