A record number of craft breweries and cideries will be descending on Penticton next weekend, and if you don’t have plans already, you need to get yourself there, too. Even if you do have plans, cancel them, and come drink beer in Penticton.
The 24th annual Okanagan Fest of Ale returns to the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre on April 12 and 13 with more than 75 B.C. craft breweries and cideries (including 19 new to the event) pouring 200+ beers and ciders.
This year’s festival features an expanded outdoor tasting area, live music and entertainment, onsite attractions, beer education stations, a pop-up liquor store, and, of course, tons of delicious food options.
“We had a waiting list of breweries that wanted to participate, so we decided to move our outdoor tasting area to a bigger location,” said John Cruickshank, Okanagan Fest of Ale Society President, in a press release. “The new outdoor tasting plaza means we can welcome a few additional brewer booths and accommodate a few more guests to the fest.”
The beer lineup promises to be a great mix of core favourites, new releases, collaborations, cask ales and experimental brews. You can find the listings on the Fest of Ale website and under Okanagan Fest of Ale on the Untappd App. We’ve also got the participating breweries listed below.
When you find some new favourites at this year’s event, the crew from Clancy’s Liquor Store will be onsite for tasty takeaways at their pop-up liquor shop. Plus, the Canadian Craft Tours team will be on hand to collect your vote for the Cascades Casino People’s Choice Best Beer, Best Cider and Best Food as well as your top picks for Best Label.
Fest of Ale festival-goers are encouraged to show off their spirit and their crafty side, as the folks from Visit Penticton and SUNFM will be on the hunt for the Best Dressed guests with bragging rights and great prizes up for grabs.
Fest of Ale is a non-profit profit event that benefits local charitable organizations within the South Okanagan Similkameen region. Since its inception, close to $700,000 has been raised for registered charities and other not-for-profit societies.
Tickets to Fest Of Ale are available online at ValleyFirstTix.com or can be picked up in person at the Valley First Box Office at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Single day admission tickets are $29, while a two-day weekend pass is $49. For more information on Fest of Ale 2019 visit FestofAle.ca.
Here are the breweries and cideries that will be on hand this year:
4 Mile Brewing Co.
Angry Hen Brewing Co.
Alchemy Brewing
Bad Tattoo Brewing Company
Barley Mill Brew Pub
BC Tree Fruits Cider Co.
BNA Brewing Co.
Bomber Brewing
Boundary Brewing Co.
Cannery Brewing
Category 12 Brewing
Coal Harbour Brewing
Crannog Ales
CrossRoads Brewing
Dead Frog Brewery
Detonate Brewing Company
Driftwood Brewery
Dominion Cider
Elevation 57 Brewing Co.
Fernie Brewing Company
Firehall Brewery Inc
Foamers’ Folly Brewing Co.
Four Winds Brewing Co.
Freddy’s Brew Pub
Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks
Hatchery Brewing
Highway 97 Brewing Company
Howe Sound Brewing
Howling Moon Craft Cider
Hoyne Brewing Co.
Iron Road Brewing
Kettle River Brewing Company
Lightheart Brewing
Lighthouse Brewing
Luppolo Brewing
Mariner Brewing Company
Merridale Cidery
Mighty Peace Brewing
Moody Ales
Moon Under Water Brewery
Mt Begbie Brewing Co.
Naramata Cider Co.
Neighbourhood Brewing
Nelson Brewing Company
Northpaw Brewing
Parallel 49 Brewing Company
Parkside Brewery
Persephone Brewing Co.
Phillips Brewing & Malting Co.
Powell Brewery
R&B Brewing
Ravens Brewing Company
Red Bird Brewing
Red Collar Brewing
Red Racer Brewing
Salt Spring Island Ales
Spinnakers Brew Pub
Steamworks Brewing Co.
Steel & Oak Brewing Co.
Strange Fellows Brewing
Strathcona Beer Company
Summerland Heritage Cider Co.
The Beer Farmers
Tin Whistle Brewery
Tofino Brewing Co.
Torchlight Brewing Co.
Trench Brewing & Distilling
Truck 59 Ciderhouse
Twin Sails Brewing
Vancouver Island Brewing
Vice & Virtue Brewing
Wards Cider
Wild Ambition Brewing
Whitetooth Brewing Company
Yellow Dog Brewing
