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I love beer festivals. They may be one of my favorite summer activities. I do not mind the sometimes steep ticket prices so I can sample from my favorite breweries as well as new ones.
But what most people don't know is…there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to what makes these festivals run. I learned this through volunteering at some, talking with brewery staff, and asking questions at the festival.
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A lot of the labor and product that fuels the festival comes donated from the breweries involved and volunteers, not the company that organizes the festival. The breweries involved in the festival are responsible for bringing the beer, as well as the staff who is to set up and pour it, all on their own dime. The breweries also pay a vendor fee to the organizers for the privilege of pouring there. Additionally, the breweries are also encouraged to spend resources on marketing the festival and providing swag to hand out at the booths.
Volunteers make up a majority of other duties surrounding the festival. The ones who set up the festival and take it down, the people who check your ID and ticket at the gate, and a lot of the people pouring samples are all “unpaid” volunteers. Why would anyone volunteer for this? Often they are promised access to the festival after they complete their duties, tickets…
