Beer lovers have another event to look forward to in Abbotsford, as today (Thursday) the first-ever Gnarly Barley Brew Festival announced its plans to take over the Abbotsford Centre on March 14.
The festival runs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., with early access for VIP ticket holders beginning at 6 p.m.
Abbotsford and B.C. breweries will be featured at the event, and some of the confirmed breweries include: Field House, Ravens, Old Yale, Vancouver Island, Okanagan Springs, Foamers Folly, Smugglers Trail Caskworks, Moody Ales, Dead Frog, Persephone, Dogwood and Silver Valley.
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More breweries and vendors are expected to come on board as the event draws closer.
Tickets go on sale tomorrow (Friday) at 10 a.m. at ticketmaster.ca and prices will be $30 for general admission with each ticket coming with a four ounce Gnarly Barley Brew Festival Tasting Mug and two drink tokens while the VIP tickets will run $60 and includes early admission, the mug, four drink tokens, one pound of chicken wings, exclusive access to a VIP area and a commemorative VIP lanyard.
The event also promises to feature live music and entertainment throughout the evening.
Organizers state that the event hopes to capture the recent growth of the craft beer industry in B.C. As noted in the Sept. 2019 liquor market review from the BC Liquor Distribution Branch, Domestic BC Beer has continued to increase in terms of sales and popularity with over 60 million litres in sales in the 2nd quarter of 2019/2020 with Micro Brew / Craft Beer making up 9.2 million of those litres.
For more information, gnarlybarleybrewfestival.ca.