Victoria’s Great Canadian Beer Festival returns for its 30th anniversary

by Kristi Alexandra on March 21st, 2024 at 2:39 PM

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Canada’s oldest beer festival is set to ring in three decades of imbibing this year.

Taking place at Victoria’s Royal Athletic Park, the Great Canadian Beer Festival (GCBF) will be tapping 250 different beers from 80 breweries for craft beer enthusiasts to enjoy on September 6 and 7.

“We are so excited to celebrate 30 years with our friends at the breweries, our dedicated volunteers, and all the folks in attendance—some of whom have been going to GCBF since the early days in the 1990s,” says Ryan Malcolm, executive director of the Victoria Beer Society, in a release.

The Great Canadian Beer Festival first hit the scene in 1993, becoming the first-ever beer fest in the nation thanks to founders Gerry Hieter and John Rowling, who stepped down from the society in 2018. This year, they’re coming out of retirement to celebrate the bash’s milestone birthday—and to ring the opening bell.

While the beer and brewery lineup has yet to be announced, past years have hosted local beer brands such as Whistle Buoy and Driftwood—on top of various food trucks and games.

For those travelling into Victoria for the occasion, the festival has set up hotel packages, which are now available on its website.

The GCBF is put on by the Victoria Beer Society, which also hosts the Langford Beer Festival, the Eats & Beats Beach Party, and Eventide: a free music series taking place in Victoria over the summer months.