Big Axe Craft Beer Festival Returns After Two-Year Hiatus
NACKAWIC — Next week marks the return of what’s become the largest outdoor craft beer festival in Atlantic Canada.
The Big Axe Craft Beer Festival happens July 16 in Nackawic, NB, and will once again feature dozens of craft producers, live music, and food trucks on the town’s waterfront, right next to the World’s Largest Axe.
While the festival is bound to showcase the latest and greatest from Atlantic Canada’s craft beer scene, for Big Axe Brewery founder, owner, and master brewer, Peter Cole, this year’s event will feel more like a reunion of friends and neighbours.
Since beginning in 2017 and growing through 2019, the festival played host to several brewers and beer tasters, before the Covid-19 pandemic stopped festival plans over the last two years.
Cole says even this past winter the decision to do a festival this year was wait-and-see, though discussions were being had as far back as December.
“With the restrictions being lifted, it seemed like everything was under control. We basically planned to go ahead to do it,” relayed Cole, who says the one-day festival takes almost a full year to plan properly.
According to Cole, when it became evident the festival could actually return this summer, the official planning needed to happen quickly.
“We started in January just to make sure things were going to flow in the right direction so we could pull this off,” said Cole.
Tickets almost gone
More than 1,200 people attended the 2019 festival, the last time the event was held. That year boasted a record number of producers (48) coming from not only the Maritimes, but also Maine, Quebec, Ontario, and even Belgium.
This year, as many as 40 different vendors were advertised to be part of the festival, with over three quarters of them craft brewers from around the region. The rest specialize in different craft tastes like sprits, wine, mead, and cider.
Cole says he’s happy with the number getting involved again and, while a handful of producers have since had to pull out last minute, mainly due to staffing issues, Cole says vendor interest has remained positive.
“We went into this thinking we were probably not going to get the numbers we did before. However, it looks like we’re going to have another sold-out event” he said.
This year’s ticket sales were initially sluggish compared to 2019’s Big Axe Craft Beer Fest, which sold out by the end of May.
Cole feels it only took a little longer this time because people weren’t sure how things would evolve with pandemic restrictions.
Get on the bus
Safe transportation is once again being provided to Nackawic from a number of different local centres by bus. One bus will do its pick-ups from as far away as Rothesay and Saint John, with several more buses from Fredericton, Woodstock and another also serving nearby Yoho Lake and Route 105 area campgrounds.
It is also perhaps the only event of its kind accessible by boat, thanks to Destination Nackawic’s brand-new, expanded Big Axe marina, which will be open to dock during the festival.
Cole says those arriving before the gates open will be treated to music by The Essentials, food trucks, and water stations.
“It’s almost like a huge backyard party. People come up and they just like to roam around. It’s almost like a reunion for some people,” added Cole. “And then there’s new people that come here from all across Canada, and even up from the states in previous years.”
“It’s a really good event for so many different reasons and for the vendors that come here, they like coming because it feels more like a retreat than anything else,” says Cole. “It’s a nice way to socialize, especially after the last two years. It’s been difficult for everybody.”
Cole adds the best experience for craft beer enthusiasts attending the festival isn’t just the chance to enjoy some locally crafted brew, but how it allows the chance to interact with vendors and talk about the products they’re making, all in a setting that never feels choked with line-ups.
Doing something good
Cole says all proceeds from the July 16 festival will go to charitable causes, saying the previous three craft beer fests had raised nearly $30,000 for charity.
“That’s why we’re doing it, for all the good reasons,” described Cole. “Not only making people happy by socializing and enjoying craft products but also knowing that your money is going to something good.”
Cole says this year, the festival will donate a portion of those charitable proceeds to Ukraine relief.
Tyler Mclean is a Huddle reporter based in Fredericton. Send him your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].