There is nothing quite like an ice-cold beer on a sweltering summer day. It goes down smooth and easy – and then you grab another! This is likely the reason so many brewfests are held during this time of the year. Brewfests
Whether it is the fruity brews, the spicy brews, or the ones that put hair on your chest – there will be a brew for everyone at brewfest.
What is a Brewfest?
Technically, brewfest stems from Germany’s Bavarian Oktoberfest, which is a celebration including traditional outfits, parades, and, you guessed it – beer! However, in the United States, brewfests are a chance for smaller breweries and artisans of craft beers to sell their product.
Usually held during the summer months, attendees purchase a ticket that allows them to have a few ounces of each beer – like the try before buying method. Some brewfests give a souvenir cup that is taken to each vendor and re-filled time and time again. These festivals will always promote having a designated driver (DD) because, face it, if you have a lot of vendors – there is a lot of beer to drink!
You are going to need outdoor tents
There are many reasons why you are going to need outdoor tents for your brewfest. First, whether rain or shine, the show will go on. Second, summertime is hot. Ingesting a lot of beer, as cool as it is going down, can make one even hotter. Tents offer shade and a break from the heat. Third, an outdoor tent provides safety for any equipment, money exchanges, electrical devices, etc. that would otherwise be exposed to elements.
The biggest reason you will want a tent for your brewfest – tent rentals are completely customizable.
- On the hottest of days, you can use a outdoor tent with temperature control. That means your tent rental can act as an indoor venue with some cool air blowing throughout.
- Sidewalls can keep heavy winds or blowing wet weather out.
- You can customize the size, shape, and colors of your tent. You can make it unique to a brand and you can make sure it fits within a specified space, allowing you to maximize the space of the entire venue.
A temporary tent rental will make both you and the patrons happy, while also ensuring the safety of everything it holds!
A Brewfest is more than just beer
Brewfest is a festival of beer. Yet, it is so much more than that! There are vendors there that have crafted their own beer – say, in the flavor of peanut butter and jelly. Well known beer vendors will also likely be present. Creators of various new liquors, such as infused vodkas, whiskeys, or bourbon also like to take advantage of this festival to show off their product.
Where you have beer and alcohol, you will also have food! After all, nothing soaks up a case of tipsiness better than food from a greasy food truck, right? Once you have drunk and tasted your way through the brewfest, you will come to those vendors who sell products that will be of interest to this crowd (think beer can wind chimes, handmade wine cork coasters, etc.).
Brewfest always has entertainment which usually consists of local bands trying to keep the crowds’ attention. However, some larger festivals are likely to have a well-known headliner from days gone by. Last, but certainly not least, is the family fun area – because, sometimes you just must bring the kiddos! This is area is packed with games and activities to keep the kids busy while mom and dad sip away.
How to design your Brewfest event
Now that we have discussed how brewfest is more than just brew, you have an idea of the areas you will need to account for to design the layout for your festival. Here are a few tips to help you succeed with this task:
- You will need to make sure you keep the number of vendors to a maximum, based on the allotted space. Overbooking could lead to disastrous results.
- While attendees are there to sample and try new things, you will still want to keep similar beers and beverages in the same general area. For instance, you don’t want your guests having a sample of a new stout and then moving on to the next two tents for a shot of bourbon and then a shot of whiskey. (Remember the saying… beer before liquor….)
- Keep wide paths throughout the entire venue to keep the guests moving forward while also allowing room for those who stop to mingle. This space needs to be large enough to account for lines at each outdoor tent, too.
- Everyone knows that when you drink, you will need to use a bathroom. Because of this, you will not want to put the beer tents on one side of the venue and the restrooms on the other. Having smaller sets of restrooms set up sporadically throughout the area will be more beneficial. The same holds true for the food trucks – spread them out!
- The family fun area for kids should also be furthest from the beer tasting tents. While it can be a well-structure and responsible event, there is always that one guy who may make a scene. If you must bring your kids, it is best to have them away from him.
There is no set standard for creating a brewfest. However, some thoughtful planning can set it off without a hitch!
You know you have created a successful Brewfest when…
You know you have had a successful brewfest when you drive by the venue the next day and you still see cars parked in the parking lot. This means that there was a lot of sipping and tasting and the attendees were still smart enough to take a safe – and sober – way home.
Start collecting vendors with the hottest new product (make sure you reach out to the little guy, too), get your customized tent rentals lined up, and get ready to kick off your summer brewfest!