The Bar Towel

Was driving to Michigan today, had a London radio station on for awhile, and heard an ad for this beer festival. Could not help laughing at the irony. Lots of talk about craft beer. The venue? Budweiser Gardens.

http://forestcitybeerfest.com/

"Budwesier Gardens South Parking Lot"

Also not sure if you are familiar with London but it was at the Covent Garden Market(which seems very small to use with that many breweries attending) for the past however many years which is across the street from the JLC or now the Budweiser gardens. Also the dude that ran/runs it used to work for the Morana brothers but I believe moved to London. A city which sucks (I spent 19 years there) but he has done a lot by making this festival happen each year.

I can understand if you heard this on the radio and thought it was ironic, but it's also a great marketing ploy to get non-craft people to come out to a sports venue's parking lot and try some new stuff.

DeMarco wrote: I can understand if you heard this on the radio and thought it was ironic, but it's also a great marketing ploy to get non-craft people to come out to a sports venue's parking lot and try some new stuff.

It did sound funny, but good point.

I apologize as I just realized I accidentally put this in wrong forum. It should be in Beer Events.

Moderators, can you please move it?

I've gone five of the last seven years. It's become a major part of the city's beer scene and now includes pop-up events held in the lead up to the festival. Definitely worth attending if you're in the area, and they've done a commendable job of constantly attracting new breweries and cideries.

There's certainly some irony to Budweiser Gardens playing host to a craft beer festival, but as Demarco noted it's likely a space thing, and a sign of how much the event has grown from its APK Live / Covent Garden days (kudos to Aaron for that). I'm bummed that I won't be able to make it this year.

It's nice that he's been able to grow attendance, I guess it hasn't hurt him much that he's done it the same weekend as the Roundhouse Beerfest the past two years. That's why I missed the Forest City Beerfest last year, and why I'm missing it this year. I think other than Powerhouse, all the same brewers will be at both.