Great Canadian Beer Fest

30 years is a long time! Think about it. Thirty years ago was 1994!

I wasn’t even legal drinking age yet. I was sitting on my mom’s couch listening to Green Day’s newly released “Dookie” album and eating Dunkaroos. Now I’m a grown-up who sits on my OWN couch eating Dunkaroos and listening to that same Dookie album. That’s not even a joke!

What else was going on in 1994?

Nancy Kerrigan got her knees taken about by Tonya Harding’s security guard. Seinfeld was number 1 in the TV ratings. Ace of Base’s “The Sign” topped the Billboard music charts and……

……The Great Canadian Beer Fest was born!

But How Old Is It, Really??

The exact start date of the Great Canadian Beer Fest is a matter of debate. Its precursor, a microbrewery tasting event held at the Sunfest Caribbean music festival in 1992, drew limited attention and had a disappointing turnout. However, it served as a valuable learning experience for the organizers.

The following year, in 1993, the founders, John Rowling and Gerry Hieter, refined their approach and held the “CAMRA Victoria Microbrewery Festival” at the Victoria Conference Centre. This event saw some success and ended up setting the stage for the official launch of the Great Canadian Beer Fest in 1994.

Now you can see why there might be a little debate as to the age of GCBF. Well, that and a couple years cancelled due to a global pandemic but we’ll try to forget about those years.

If you want to read up more on the history of the event and even see some of the original logos and flyers, click over to this article on What’s Brewing’s website for a more in depth history lesson.

Fast Forward to 2024….

….. and the festival is now under the stewardship of the Victoria Beer Society who have been growing and improving the festival since taking over in 2019.

I’m a little ashamed to confess that this past weekend marked my inaugural visit to GCBF. While I’d heard plenty about it and jealously admired the photos I’d seen from previous years, scheduling conflicts had always prevented me from attending. Finally, this past weekend, I was able to make the ferry trip out to Victoria and experience the festival firsthand.

So, what were my overall impressions of Canada’s oldest and longest running beer festival? Maybe I should answer that by listing some qualities that I believe make for an exceptional beer fest and seeing if the Great Canadian Beer Fest truly is “great”.

• Excellent Entertainment
  • GCBF offered a day full of entertainment including live music, games and a giant inflatable obstacle course. The latter was a first time site at a beer fest for me and it was hilarious watching people struggle through it and fall out the other side exhausted but laughing hysterically.
• Delicious Food Options
  • A variety of food trucks lined the festival grounds, offering a tempting array of culinary delights. I opted for a slice of pizza because it was quick and, let’s be honest, who can turn down a ‘za and beer combo?
• Good Company
  • I attended the beer fest solo but I knew I’d likely encounter familiar faces. Sure enough, I spotted @craftbeerswithjorge and @beermecanada, and even had the pleasure of meeting @terpisland and @ladner_beer_share for the first time
• Sunny Weather
  • This is obviously ideal for an outdoor beer fest but completely out of the control of the event organizers. Luckily for all of us it was a beautiful day with a bit of light cloud overhead ensuring that I didn’t add to my already stellar farmer’s tan.
• Great beer, duh.
  • The GCBF showcased a diverse selection of over 200 beers, featuring not only local BC breweries but also exceptional breweries from across Canada. I personally sampled beer from the Yukon Territory to Newfoundland and everywhere in between. Even some of my favorite Eastern Canadian breweries, like Dieu du Ciel, LTM, Bellwoods and Blood Brothers were represented.
• Bonus Point…. Was Terry David Mulligan there?
  • Yes. Yes he was!

So was the Great Canadian Beer Fest worth the trip to Victoria? That would be a resounding “heck yea!” from me. Check out my Instagram Reel to see all that fun that was had.

Now I need to make sure I can keep my schedule open for next year!