Beer-lovers, prepare yourselves: the 2024 beer festival season is ramping up. Since a single person (and liver) can only handle so many beers and beer-drinking celebrations, some prioritizing is in order. Topping off our list is the imminent (and, in our opinion, non-negotiable) Vancouver Brewers Fest, April 19th through 28th.

Why should you be stoked on this fest in particular? First of all, as implied by its name, this one is actually organized by the people who run 21 of your favourite local craft breweries and supporting small-scale, homegrown and community-minded happenings (sans soulless corporate bullshit) gives you the chance to put faces to the places and beer you enjoy. Secondly, across the board the VBF event vibe is very much ‘first come, first served’, which means you can roll without tickets, tokens or any advance investment.

Speaking of the events, here’s a breakdown of some of this year’s Vancouver Brewers Fest highlights:

90’s Hip Hop Trivia Night | Friday, April 19th, 7-9pm
Arrive at Strange Fellows early to grab a pint and a seat, and prime yourself for two hours of 90’s era hip hop music trivia. Dig it! DETAILS

‘The Smoke Show’ at Luppolo Brewing | Saturday, April 20th, Noon-11pm
Luppolo is officially opening up their patio for the season to host a party honouring the 4/20 spirit, featuring smokey beers and pizza (via a special collab with Steve’s Smoked Meat; no actual weed smoke involved). This is our kind of 4/20 situation. DETAILS

Brewery Tours at Strange Fellows | Sunday, April 21st, 1-4pm
For one afternoon only, Strange Fellows brewer Aaron Jonckheere will be banging out brewery tours every half-hour – and they’re totally free! Extra bonus: all 30-minute tours include vintage SFB beer tastings along the way. DETAILS

Chef’s Night Out Special | Wednesday, April 24th, 5-10pm
Catering to adventurous palates, the Chefs Night Out Special will be a food-focused evening featuring ‘surprise’ dishes. As hosts (Strange Fellows) tease: “Come hungry, come ready to share, if you know, you know…” We’re sure intrigued. DETAILS

Cabane à Sucre | Thursday, April 25th, 7:30-10:30pm
While our neighbours out East are in the thick of the Cabane à Sucre season, you can get into the Quebecois spirit by sipping from vintage Strange Fellows bottles on special, to the lively traditional background of traditional French-Canadian music. Santé! DETAILS

The Nitro Glizzy Throwdown! | Friday, April 26th, 4-10pm
Storm Brewing brings together a trifecta of live tunes plus cheap ($5) hotdogs and nitro beers. If you’ve been to a Storm function before, you know these guys know how to throw a party. DETAILS

All-Day Happy Hour | Friday, April 26th, Noon-11pm
Faculty Brewing has decided to ignore the concept of time altogether by declaring Friday, April 26th ‘All-Day Happy Hour’. Dope! DETAILS

Brewers Choice Patio Party | Saturday, April 27th, Noon-10pm
Yes, a full day of music, games, and beer…on the Strange Fellows Patio. Does it get any better? Featuring beers from 33 Acres, Slow Hand, Brassneck, Main St., Faculty, Luppolo, and Storm. We’re betting that this event will draw a crowd, so aim to roll up early. DETAILS

…And that doesn’t capture it all! Another way to make the most out of the fest is by taking advantage of the one-day-only discounts on Strange Fellows beers (on tap and to go) and certain merch. Take a shortcut to the full events list here to make your game plan. Scope out the full roster of participating breweries on the Vancouver Brewers Fest website. Cheers!