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| Lederhosen! Photo by Kindreds Maze |
Dust off your lederhosen and rinse out your steins, folks. Toronto’s Festival of Beer, commonly referred to as Beerfest, is coming to Exhibition Place from Friday July 26th to Sunday July 28th. Lauded as Canada’s largest beer festival, this year marks the 17th anniversary of the event, which will feature over 120 different brews from around the world. Everyone from the top-selling brands to Ontario craft breweries will be on-hand providing patrons with unique brand experiences.
While you’re sampling all of those beers, make sure to take a break at one of the many food trucks and vendors who will be making their home in the park this year. Or join Chef Ted Reader and Friends in the Grilling Tent for tricks and tips when it comes to putting meat (or anything else) on metal. Audience participation and giveaways will surely make this a must-visit spot for Beerfest attendees.
Drawing crowds of over 30,000 in past years, it’s not just beer that brings the masses flocking. The festival has been attracting a wide variety of musical performances to act as a soundtrack to all of the beer and barbecue consumption. This year is no exception featuring main stage sets by Escort and De La Soul on Friday, 90s princes Spin Doctors on Saturday, followed by Easy Star All-Stars and Big Sugar Yard Style (their usual blues-rock sound stripped down to its acoustic roots) with special guest Willi Williams to close out the festival on Sunday.
For those seeking knowledge on the history, making or pairing of beer, there are many options to expand your sudsy horizons. The Brewmaster’s Series brings patrons together with experts in both the brewing and culinary arts for talks about everything from how to brew at home to the best recipes for your TV dinner. The Girl’s Guided Beer Tour is for women, by women and the World of Beer Pavilion has selected West Coast North America as its featured region this year.
An exciting upgrade for their 17th year is the new Toronto’s Festival of Beer app for iPhone and Android. Serving to replace the paper booklet pocket guide which contained maps, schedules and ads, the app will feature all of that plus allow users to integrate with social media, vote for their favourite brews and more! Tickets for the event range from $39.50-$75.00 with VIP options available. This is a 19+ event. For more information and to purchase tickets please visit www.beerfestival.ca.
Article by Zane Banyan