This year, the Great Canadian Beer Festival Celebrates 30 Years of Beer in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia from September 6 – 7, 2024. And to make this milestone year a special one, the annual festival will relocate to the Topaz Park on the city’s northside.
The Great Canadian Beer Festival (GCBF) made its debut in 1993 and has been held annually since then except for 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. The festival, which celebrates craft beer from all across Canada, will take place on Friday, September 6 from 4:00 – 9:00pm and Saturday, September 7 from Noon – 5:00pm. Ticket prices begin at $25 CAD.
This year, GCBF will have a new home at Topaz Park, moving from Royal Athletic Park where the festival has been held for the last two decades.
“The move to Topaz Park gives us a blank slate to reimagine the festival not only for the 30th anniversary but many years to come,” said Ryan Malcolm, Executive Director of the Victoria Beer Society.
GCBF gives festival-goers the opportunity to taste beers they can’t find anywhere else in British Columbia. This premium tasting event will feature up to 250 different beers from up to 80 breweries from coast to coast, many of them served by the brewers themselves. It’s a rare opportunity to talk to these folks about what makes their beer special, and to try some new and classic brews from their lineups. The full brewery and beer list will be announced in the summer. Special hotel packages have already been set up and are available on the website.
Over the coming weeks, GCBF organizers will continue to work hard to ensure that the event features a diverse mix of beers. The brewery line-up is shaping up to be as exciting as ever with breweries spanning across BC and featuring several out-of-province breweries as well. The BC Ale Trail will also be in attendance showcasing hand-picked BC beers.
The festival is also organizing fun and original ways to celebrate the 30th year. GCBF founders Gerry Hieter and John Rowling, who retired and handed the festival over to the Victoria Beer Society in 2018, will be in attendance to lead the media tour and ring the opening bell.
This year, GCBF is excited to offer a Premium Ticket option for the first time ever. Indulge in a masterfully crafted beer-and-food pairing provided by Chef Brian Tesolin of the Courtney Room. Featuring four collaboration brews between the Courtney Room and Victoria beer standouts, Île Sauvage Brewing, Herald Street Brew Works, Small Gods Brewing and Whistle Buoy Brewing, each beer will focus on a foraged ingredient to then be paired with gourmet snacks, curated just for Premium ticket holders. Add in perks like separate entry, six extra beer tokens and a Premium lounge, and it’s the ultimate way to elevate your GCBF adventure.
To learn more about the Great Canadian Beer Festival and to purchase tickets, vist victoriabeersociety.com/gcbf/.
Topaz Park – 3000 Glasgow Ave – Victoria, British Columbia
About The Author
DJ
D.J. is a Portland, Oregon based writer that spent his formative years in the Midwest. With over 25 years under his belt of drinking beer at festivals across America and the world, he has developed a strong appreciation and understanding of craft beer and the industry that surrounds it. He can be found in any of the great breweries or beer bars that make Portland the best beer city in the world. His writing can also be found in the archives of Northwest Brewing News and can be followed on Twitter and Instagram at @hopapalooza.
