From Victoria to Âé¶čAV and up to Prince George, some of the most beloved beers and ciders from across the province can be found in Penticton this weekend.
The Okanagan Fest of Ale returned indoors at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre on Friday and Saturday, April 14 and 15.
Thousands of people on both days were seen at the event, taking in its 75 craft beer vendors, 13 unique food stands and live music.
Vendors who made the trip from across the province, and in some cases even Alberta, didnât hold back in praising the Penticton-based event.
âI love this one,â said Kelsey Spannier, from Victoria-based Vancouver Island Brewing. âItâs really cool for us because we donât get to come out here too much, so itâs one of those special ones where we can connect with people who donât get to try our beer often.â
This weekend marks the 26th annual edition of the event.
âItâs great to see the new (Okanagan) breweries that have popped up since we were last here and the locals supporting it,â Spannier added. âSo exciting.â
Although back to its roots indoors, this yearâs Okanagan Fest of Ale also featured an outdoor vendor area near the intersection of Power Street and Westminster Avenue.
Event manager Sarah Taylor said before the event that she anticipates a total of 6,000 people to walk through the trade and convention centre, over the two days.
Since the eventâs inception in 1996, more than $750,000 has been raised and donated back to local community initiatives.
Taylor estimates that roughly 20 per cent of the vendors in attendance are based in the Okanagan.
Okanagan Fest of Ale wraps up at 6 p.m., Saturday.
logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com
