On Saturday March 14, more than 20 brew vendors will take over the arena floor of Abbotsford Centre for the inaugural Gnarly Barley Brew Festival.
The event runs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. for regular ticket holders. VIP ticket holders receive early access to the festival beginning at 6 p.m.
“Come hang out, try different brews from the different breweries and have a good night,” said Brent Hodson, marketing director at Abbotsford Centre. “There will be entertainment throughout the evening, including music, games and food.”
Featuring breweries from across British Columbia including the Fraser Valley, the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, attendees can enjoy samples from local brewers like Old Yale Brewing, Mission Springs Brewing and Ravens Brewing Company. Other participating British Columbia breweries include Okanagan Springs and Lighthouse Brewery.
“Each vendor will set up a booth to promote their brewery and their products,” Hodson said. Along with local craft beer companies, two cideries are also participating in the event.
Langley’s Fraser Valley Cider Company will feature samples of their ciders at the festival. Re-opening in March, their handcrafted ciders are made in small batches and use traditional techniques and fresh-pressed British Columbia apples.
Abbotsford’s Taves Family Farm will share their new venture at the Gnarly Barley Brew Festival. On April 5, the farm will open Taves Estate Cidery, a hard cider tasting barn and picnic area offering growler fills, tasting flights and bottled ciders.
General admission for the 19+ brew fest is $30 and includes a four-ounce Gnarly Barley Brew Festival tasting mug and two drink tokens. For $60, VIP tickets include early admission, a four ounce tasting mug, four drink tokens, one pound of wings, access to an exclusive VIP area and a commemorative lanyard. Tickets are available online at ticketmaster.ca. Additional drink tokens will be available during the event and will be $3 for one or $20 for seven.
“This is the first opportunity for us to do an indoor event for brewers and breweries at the arena,” Hodson said. “The Gnarly Barley Brew Festival will be a great showcase of what you can find in Abbotsford and more so in the Fraser Valley, Lower Mainland and area.”
Sponsored by Wings, Abbotsford News, Country107.1 and Star 98.3, the festival hopes to capture the recent growth of the craft beer industry.
Visit gnarlybarleybrewfestival.ca for the complete vendor list and for more information.
