The lure of sampling some of the best craft brews produced in northern B.C. brought big crowds to Two Rivers Gallery over the weekend for the seventh annual Kiwanis AleFest/Northern BC Craft Beer Festival.
All three three-hour sessions were sold out and children’s charities that serve the Prince George region will benefit as a result. Combined with 50-50 lottery and merchandise sales, the event raised between $60,000 and $70,000.
“We had 300 people for each session, so about a 1,000 in total, and everyone had so much fun,” said Holly Keech, Kiwanis AleFest communications/marketing lead. “It just had a special feeling after that two-year hiatus because of COVID, so there was excitement in the air. It went off without a hitch.”
A good chunk of the proceeds will be sent to Ronald McDonald House BC in Vancouver to pay for the accommodations of northern B.C. families who have to travel to Vancouver to be close to their kids while they are being treated at the BC Children’s Hospital. Prince George Kiwanis sponsors the cost of a room for one full year.
AleFest profits in previous years allowed the Kiwanis Club to sponsor such local charities as Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Prince George Therapeutic Riding Association and Prince George Dress Dreams. A portion of the money raised this year will be set aside for a future capital project in the city geared to children.
AleFest brought out the best from five Prince George craft brewers/vintners including Trench Brewing and Distilling, CrossRoads Brewing, and Northern Lights Estate Winery and two newcomers to the local craft scene – Deadfall Brewing and Slaughterhouse Craft (cider and mead).
“Slaughterhouse is like a ma-and-pa operation and this was their first event and they were super-excited to be there and had such a wonderful attitude,” said Keech. “Everyone really enjoyed sampling the cider and I think this will be a really good promotion for them.
“We also had the winery there this year, something we hadn’t done in the previous years.”
Several local food vendors brought appetizers to sell to the gallery crowds.
A pub crawl Friday and Saturday to eight participating pubs and restaurants also proved popular, giving people a chance to try varieties of cask beer provided by local craft brewers.
Also represented were Three Ranges Brewery (Valemount), Barkerville Brewing (Quesnel), Mighty Peace Brewing (Fort St. John), Ursa Minor Brewing (Ootsa Lake), Fox Mountain Brewery (Williams Lake), Cask and Cleaver Brewery (100 Mile House), Bulkley Valley Brewery and Smithers Brewery (both of Smithers), Sherwood Mountain Brewing (Terrace) and Wheelhouse Brewing (Prince Rupert).
