The Courtenay Rotary Club’s inaugural Beer Fest fundraising event was a huge success, bringing in a gross total of $12,000.
The vision to combine a consumer tasting event with an industry showcase proved to be very popular with 16 vendors attending and more than 350 tickets sold to folks who enjoyed an evening of conversation, appies and beer sampling.
“It was great to see such a supportive turnout for a first year event,” says Rotary Club member Rob Wolfe. “It was a very fun mixer for the community and we’ll look forward to putting on the event next year.”
The Courtenay Rotary Club would like to thank the following breweries who provided more than 50 beer and cider products for tasting: Townsite Brewing Co., Stanley Park Brewery, Lighthouse Brewing, Granville Island Brewing, Vancouver Island Brewing, Blue Moon Winery, Merridale Ciderworks, Okanagan Spring Brewery, Central City Brewers, Steamworks Brewery, Hoyne Brewing Co., Tofino Brewing Co., Russell Brewing Co., Phillips Brewing Co., Sea Cider and Howe Sound Brewery.
“People showed a real interest in the products and knowing more about them, which I think the vendors really appreciated,” said past president Dave White, who was one of the event’s main organizers.
“It was a great atmosphere and the feedback we received indicates that this will be an event that just gets better over time.”
The money raised through Beer Fest will support Courtenay Rotary community projects, including the Rotary Trail and Train Station renovation.
The Courtenay Rotary welcomes new members who want to contribute to community building initiatives.
For more information, visit the club’s website at http://portal.clubrunner.ca/671 or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CourtenayRotary.