Beer tippers rejoice – in less than three weeks hundreds of people are expected to descend on Valemount for its inaugural craft beer festival, June 17.
Officially known as the vALEmount Craft Beer Experience, the event will be held at the Valemount Airport with nine breweries, wineries and cider houses from across the region on hand to quench people’s thirst from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
According to Michael Lewis, organizer and owner of Valmount’s Three Ranges Brewing Company, the event is sold out.
“The majority of the breweries people are going to experience you can’t get in Jasper, Alberta,” said Lewis.
Noticeably absent from the list of breweries is the Jasper Brewing Company, because the company is not licensed to sell in British Columbia.
To keep people entertained organizers have also managed to secure a stellar line up including Blue Syntax, Athabasca Barnburner and Shred Kelly.
“We’re completely stoked to have Shred Kelly coming to the event,” Lewis said, adding he’s also super excited to have both the Athabasca Barnburner and Blue Syntax playing.
To get people to and from the festival a free shuttle service will be available, picking people up and dropping them off the visitor centre in town, the Best Western hotel, the Canoe River Campground and Tête Jaune.
“We’re working to finalize our shuttle schedule, but the idea is to shuttle people in and out because it’s out at the airport, which is about 4.5 kilometres out of town, and we want to prevent intoxicated driving,” said Lewis.
Prior to the festival, organizers have also put together a more intimate event to meet some of the people behind the beverages on June 16. The event will be held at the Best Western in Valemount from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Tickets are available online.
“It’s a really small crowd and an opportunity for people to get one-on-one with some of the brewery representatives and to learn more about the industry,” said Lewis.
While the festival might have a strong focus on craft beverages, Lewis is adamant it is about more than that.
“One of the very key aspects I want people to understand is that this is a Michael Lewis, the veteran, organized event. I am the owner of Three Ranges, but it’s not a Three Ranges event,” said Lewis, who is a former America military helicopter pilot.
He said the main focus of the event is to support veterans.
“Craft beer is just the conduit to get the message out there and bring people together and introduce them to the veteran community.”
He said the majority of the proceeds from the event will be go towards an organization called Communities for Veterans and the Valemount Royal Canadian Legion. A portion will also go to support the Valemount Arts and Cultural Society, which helped secure Shred Kelly for the festival.
Paul Clarke | [email protected]
