Edmonton Craft Beer Festival celebrates 'burgeoning' local breweries and distilleries
If you are a fan of craft beer and local distilleries, this is your weekend.
The Edmonton Craft Beer Festival takes place this Friday and Saturday at the Edmonton Expo Centre. More than 500 beers from 170 breweries will be featured at the event alongside ciders, meads, and other alcoholic spirits.
In addition to tastings, the event will have seminars exploring how to cook with beer or how to pair it with different foods.
Bill Robinson, Alberta Beer Festivals president, told CTV News Edmonton the popularity of craft breweries has skyrocketed in the city in recent years.
“There’s a wide range of things people can come and try,” Robinson said. “Edmonton has a burgeoning craft beer scene and craft distillery scene.”
Interest was not impacted by the COVID-19, Robinson shared, as during the pandemic more than 20 craft breweries and 12 craft distilleries opened throughout the province.
This weekend’s festivities will mark the first time the event has been celebrated since 2019 after COVID-19 postponed the event. Robinson said small-scale and craft breweries rely on events like this in order to survive.
“The larger companies can get by with increasing their marketing budget,” Robinson said. “But the smaller guys, the local guys, they really need to be able to get out in the community to talk to people, to share their passion and stories.
“It’s something we are all missing,” he added. “We’re doing everything we can to make it as safe as possible.”
The event will be using the Restrictions Exemption Program, meaning all attendees need to demonstrate proof of at least one COVID-19 vaccination shot, a negative test result within 72 hours of the event, or a doctor’s exemption letter.
Masks will need to be worn at the event except when seated or standing at a table and when actively sampling a beverage or food.
“Come celebrate community,” Robinson said. “It’s brewed here, it’s drank here, the money stays here and it goes right back into the agriculture.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Minister 'outraged' after AFN national chief's headdress taken from Air Canada cabin
The federal minister of Crown-Indigenous relations is calling on Air Canada to 'make things right' with the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, who said her headdress was removed from an airplane cabin during a flight this week.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Canada recognizes housing as a human right. Few provinces have followed suit
As more Canadians find themselves struggling to afford or find housing, the country's smallest province is the only one that can point to legislation recognizing housing as a human right.
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.