The Calgary International Beerfest, hosted by Alberta Beer Festival Inc., brings the beer world together at Canada’s largest beer festival, held at the largest convention centre in Western Canada. With 700+ beers from 200+ breweries, your biggest challenge will be deciding where to start at one of the best beer festivals in the world
~
Calgary. Alberta is a location that most people have at least heard of before, even if they don’t exactly know what the city is famous for. Those who live outside of Calgary may have vague associations with the Olympics, Flames Hockey, Stampede Rodeo, or its impressive mountain scenery, but for two days in May, it becomes the adult beverage capital of North America when Alberta Beer Festival Inc. brings its Calgary International Beerfest to the city and hundreds of craft beer and spirits enthusiasts heading to the BMO Centre, Stampede Park.
Alberta Beer Festival’s mission is to provide the ultimate beer and spirit experience for festival-goers and vendors. Each of ABF’s events provides a forum for breweries and distilleries to share their stories, passions, and products with the beer and spirit enthusiasts of Western Canada. ABF strives to have a positive impact in the beer and spirit industries, but ABF also supports local charities within their community.
ABF is very proud to support two charities of choice this year, Autism Aspergers Friendship Society of Calgary (AAFS Calgary) and Kids Up Front Calgary. ABF has donated tickets to help with fundraising for over 70 Alberta charities and has helped raise over $350,000 for charities in the region.
ABF’s Calgary International Beerfest is a prominent event in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, dating back two decades to 2005. Back then, there were only six breweries in the province, and two of those were brew pubs. Fast-forward to today, the festival will have a higher coat check number than their first event’s attendee numbers as people, vendors, and enthusiasts, come from all over the world to attend this event which now ranks as Canada’s largest beer festivals and one of the best in the world, offering attendees an opportunity to sample hundreds of domestic and international adult beverages from 200+ breweries, distilleries, cideries and meaderies from 40+ countries offering up samples of over 700 Beers, Ciders, RTD (ready to drink beverages) and Non-Alcoholic Drinks. The Calgary International Beerfest not only features a vast array of adult beverages but also showcases culinary delights from over 30 of Calgary’s best local eateries, offering a fantastic selection of food to sample, with menus designed to complement the beer-tasting experience.
Nothing goes better with food and drink than music, and ABF will keep the vibe going in every corner of the Calgary International Beerfest with live music and entertainment throughout the festival, providing a lively, fun party-like atmosphere for all to enjoy – the vibe will be incredible!
As mentioned ABF’s Calgary International Beerfest will have a wide selection of amazing domestic and international breweries, distilleries, cideries, meaderies, and RTDs (Ready to Drink beverages) along with local craft beverage vendors for you to sample like; Medicine Hat Brewing Company, as you will get to sample their selection of Timeless Craft Beers whose history dates back to 1912, when the original Medicine Hat Brewing Company began serving old-fashioned lager, ale, and stout to Medicine Hat’s early, thirsty residents and make sure to stop by and see the team at Snake Lake Brewing Company and sample their award-winning craft beers, EASY RTD’s and Sylvan Craft Spirits all made with quality ingredients and inspired by Sylvan Lake, Alberta’s rich history of work and play. Don’t forget about Fox Hills Cidery, a family-owned and operated, small-batch hard apple cider company based out of Ardrossan, Alberta offers samples of their ciders that are made with 100% natural flavours and pure apple juice, not from concentrate, for you to enjoy.
ABF’s Calgary International Beerfest offers three sample sessions over two days at the BMO Centre, Stampede Park. Your ticket, ranging from $19.99 to $79.99, gets you entry into the Calgary International Beerfest at the BMO Centre, Stampede Park, and a commemorative sample mug.
In addition to the three sample sessions, there are many General Admission and VIP Package options to elevate your experience, offering different levels of access and perks to this year’s event. Attendees are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance due to the high demand.
This is an 18+ event; be sure to bring a government-issued ID.
Stay tuned as we continue our 2025 Craft Brewing and Distilling Series, spotlighting amazing Canadian industry events, brewers, cideries, distillers, meaderies, and wineries that are working every day to keep this industry moving in a positive direction as we share their stories, passions, and products with readers and craft beer and spirits enthusiasts.
See you at BMO Centre, Stampede Park!
by Ryan Myson