Friday, July 17, 2009
Denver's Two Beer WeeksHaven't heard about Denver Beer Week? Or about Denver Beer Fest? Here's a little explanation (written by yours truly) of why I mention two potential beer festivals that will leave you only 50 weeks of the year in which you can plan other things to do: http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/07/13/daily87.html
What this breaks down to is this: Visit Denver (the Denver convention and visitors bureau) wants to do a week-long celebration of beer between the Larimer Square Oktoberfest celebration and the Great American Beer Festival. Brewers in this state want to do it sometime between February and April, when less people are roaming the Denver streets imbibing and eating in restaurants. The differences between the two groups appear to be leading to two beer weeks during the year, which are not competing so much as they're two different celebrations.
The question is this: Does having two beer weeks in one year really nix the importance of both of them and rob Denver of the ability to have a beer-specific celebration that the city deserves more richly than places like San Francisco and Philadelphia that now have such weeks?
My opinion is that two beer weeks are compatible. One in the Spring would be for beer geeks who want to talk beer and drink beer at a time when everyone else is complaining about how cold the weather is and how much the Avs suck. The one in the Fall would be like a push for people to get out and drink beer before the GABF, a time when the true beer-friendly restaurants and bars already are throwing such events but when a specified week could encourage others to get on the bandwagon.
Anyone else have thoughts on this gravest of issues?
Labels: Denver Beer Fest, Denver Beer Week
Comments:
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When I first read your article I thought "Wow, about time Denver created it's own Beer Week". I wonder why they hadn't done that earlier. But then I thought about it more and wondered if they wanted to do this just to say we have our own "Denver Beer Week". The one in Spring sounds like a great idea. Nothing like picking a slow time of year for a beer fest. Great idea as long as it doesn't happen during a spring blizzard (that would defeat the purpose).
However I have some concerns that having Denver Beer Fest during the GABF week and Denver's Oktoberfest may become overkill. I mean, that week is already filled with about 4-5 days of celebrations anyway all centered around the GABF. You even see the BC/BC, Denver Rare Beer Tasting, FBAG and other events at Falling Rock Tap House. Do we really need to stretch it out to another 4-5 days? Some would say "Why not?". I'm ok with it but the emphasis on the GABF will probably be lessened. Will it cause less people to go to the GABF because now they can hit up all these other events? Perhaps. Time will tell. Regardless, I look forward to seeing what the organizers come up with.
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However I have some concerns that having Denver Beer Fest during the GABF week and Denver's Oktoberfest may become overkill. I mean, that week is already filled with about 4-5 days of celebrations anyway all centered around the GABF. You even see the BC/BC, Denver Rare Beer Tasting, FBAG and other events at Falling Rock Tap House. Do we really need to stretch it out to another 4-5 days? Some would say "Why not?". I'm ok with it but the emphasis on the GABF will probably be lessened. Will it cause less people to go to the GABF because now they can hit up all these other events? Perhaps. Time will tell. Regardless, I look forward to seeing what the organizers come up with.
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