Spring Sessions

Spring BeerFest TO starts this weekend! Tickets are now on sale, and cottage vibes are in the air! All that’s left to do is figure out are the deets… important stuff, like… how will I get there? Should I wear my flowy tank and khaki shorts or my jean jacket and summer dress with the flowers on it? Can I bring water? Will my backpack be okay? Where can I find my favourite beer? Let us help you with those answers so that you’re guaranteed to have your best Spring BeerFest TO yet! Below are the Top Tips on enjoying SBFTO…

Get Tickets to Spring Beerfest TO Saturday!

Get Tickets to Spring BeerfestTO Sunday!

Location: Fort York: Garrison Common. HERE is a map.

Saturday & Sunday Hours:

• 12:00pm – Gates Open
• 6:30pm – Last Call
• 6:45pm – Taps Off
• 7:00pm – Closed

10 – What You Can Bring…

• Valid photo ID – This is a 19+ event (a photocopy of ID does not count). Valid ID includes: Drivers License, Passport, or Ontario Photo Card.
• Your Ticket. (Best to print it out and bring with you, unless you ordered a mobile ticket)
• Sunblock
• Sunglasses
• Hat
• Bags are restricted to small purses, totes and drawstring bags only. Bag size may not exceed 14” x 11” x 5” (35cm x 28cm x 12cm), or 30 linear inches (75cm) in total, and must have no more than one singular pocket or opening.
• Comfortable Shoes
• Cash
• TTC tokens / PRESTO card
• Mobile phone – to take selfies, call a cab, ‘Ubes’ or Lyft – Please enjoy responsibly, don’t drink and drive.
• Raincoat, Umbrella (check the weather before you leave home)
• Blanket

9 – What You Can’t Bring With You…

• Pets (We love them, but they can’t come with you)
• Children (We love them too, but they can’t come with you. This is a 19+ event)
• Any type of Water Bottle – We have FREE WATER available all weekend long through our festival Quench Buggy meant strictly for drinking. You don’t need to bring that fancy water bottle!
• Food
• Chairs
• Backpacks and bags with multiple pockets as well as Hydration packs are prohibited
• Coolers
• Large video cameras
• Selfie Sticks (seriously, are these things still a ‘thing’? lol)
• Cameras, other than for personal use
• Mobile phone charger (there is no place to plug it in)
• Water guns
• Your own glassware/bottles.

8- Should I Bring Cash?

Yep. We appreciate plastic just as much as the next person, but cash is king at the Festival. We have teams walking around (pictured) that will be selling tokens and they’ll only accept cash. We’re not saying empty your bank account, but be prepared if you want to move around quickly.  ATMs will be on site. Token Booth do accept Credit Card Payments, but we always reco cash for getting ‘er done quickly.

7 – How Do I Get Tokens?

Tokens are the onsite currency. 1 token = $1. Most samples onsite are 1 token for a 4oz pour. Some brewers charge more: imports and premium brands. There are dedicated booths that sell tokens, along with mobile token teams. They will be easy to spot.

6 – Can I Bring A Backpack?

The quick answer is no… Bags are restricted to small purses, totes and drawstring bags only. Bag size may not exceed 14” x 11” x 5” (35cm x 28cm x 12cm), or 30 linear inches (75cm) in total, and must have no more than one singular pocket or opening. We’ll be using metal detector wands and searching all small bags, totes, and drawstring bags at the gate – it’s not that we don’t trust you, it’s just how it goes! You’ve all been to events before and witnessed someone giving security a hard time over searching their belongings. The reason we do it is not because you’re a criminal, but because we want everyone to be safe and have a great time.

5 – What If I Want To Drive?

Don’t drive! It’s a Beer Festival and chances are you’ll be enjoying some beverages. Please enjoy the convenience of the TTC, a cab, an Ubes or even a Lyft. Yeah, we said Ubes. Just no drinking and driving whatsoever.  If you are the DD, here’s some parking info: we do not have designated parking for the festival. We recommend finding Pay Parking in Liberty Village or City Place, or just avoiding driving altogether, if that’s an option for you.

4 – Great Beer is Great Beer

There will be a bunch of different brews to try. HERE is the list of breweries that will be at #SBFTO 2019.

3 – Bring Your Appetite

The food purveyors we have this year are second to none. HERE are some of them!

2 – Game On!

Archery Tag. Bocce. Giant Jenga. Giant Chess. HERE is the full list with pics!

1 – Drink Water & Dress for the Weather

Seriously, stay hydrated. We will have a water station for you to rinse and refill. Just take your commemorative mug (which you get when you arrive), rinse it out and fill it up at a water station. And don’t forget to wear sunblock. Even if it is grey and cloudy. This is vital. Sunblock and water are soooooooo key!! It’s looking like clear skies and warm weather for both days with a slight chance of some scattered showers towards the very end of Sunday but hey that shouldn’t stop us! Even if it rains, we pour. Below is the weather forecast we pulled from The Weather Network:

Our crack team of researchers have determined the four pillars of an incredible cottage experience. They are: 1) Spending time with your friends. 2) Enjoying some good beer. 3) Eating lots of food. 4) Doing fun stuff.

We’d like to focus on the ‘Doing fun stuff’ part in this blog, but if you want to see what food and brews will be there, check HERE. So, since we are all about the cottage vibes, we will be filling Fort York: Garrison Common with games, games and more games. We’re also super stoked to welcome back the gang from Track & Field Bar, Bangarang Bar, and Archers Arena who will run some of their awesome games on-site like last year. It all goes down May 18 & 19!

Get Tickets to Spring Beerfest TO Saturday!

Get Tickets to Spring Beerfest TO Sunday!

Without further ado, here’s a list of games:

Bocce: Our friends at Track & Field are bringing the bocce balls. Did you know the little white marker ball is called the pallino? *mind blown*

Archery Darts: This is where you can channel your inner Aria Stark and shoot some arrows at a giant dart board. Archers Arena are a bunch of legends for setting this up.

Giant Chess: “Pardon me Brad, may i suggest Bishop to Rook 4?” Put your giant brain to use with giant chess.

Giant Jenga: Is this the blockchain everyone keeps talking about? You take a block from the bottom and you put it on top. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Giant Connect 4: Come make a connection at #SBFTO. The name of the game is in the name of the game. You game?

Giant Beer Pong: Who amongst you will step up and be a beer pong legend? Check in with the SOBDL when you arrive to book your time to play!

Corn Hole: Bangarang Bar is bringing their cornhole masters to run this game. We suggest you start practicing your celebrations now. We are hoping that every time you toss a beanbag in the hole, you celly like there’s everyone watching… because chances are, a large amount of people will actually be watching you.

Kan Jam: This is one of our favourite outdoor games to play when we are away at the cottage. The way Kan Jam works is you place two kans at about 50 yards apart from each other while you and your teammate stand on opposite ends. One person throws a ‘flying disk’ in the direction of the can your teammate is standing next to, while your teammate attempts to hit the disk in to the kan. It’s scored up to 21. We know you’re going to pick this game up very quickly and who knows… by the time it’s all over, your team could officially be crowned the raining champs for SBFTO 2018.

This is a serious amount of games. We are really excited. BUT this could not be done without the help of a few key partners. With that said. whatchya waiting for?? Grab your tickets now and lock in your May Long Weekend plans:

Get Tickets to Spring Beerfest TO Saturday!

Get Tickets to Spring Beerfest TO Sunday!

Also, while you’re at it give us a follow/like on our channels. Love ya!

SpringBeerFestTO on Instagram

SpringBeerFestTO on Facebook

SpringBeerTO on Twitter

From the people who bring you Toronto’s Festival of Beer! Spring BeerFest TO happens May 18 & 19, 2019. There is only one type of ticket for this event and that’s a General Admission ticket. You must be legal drinking age 19+ to purchase. Proper ID is required. We love children, but there are no children permitted on site. We also love pets, but unfortunately you need to leave your pet at home. This event happens rain or shine. This is an outdoor event. There are no refunds or exchanges. There will be be no refunds in the event of cancellation due to inclement weather. No in & out privileges. Please drink responsibly. Here are some common questions we get asked…

Where is Spring BeerFest TO?

Spring BeerFest TO happens at Fort York: Garrison Common. HERE is a map.

When is Spring BeerFest TO?

Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19 of the May Two-Four Weekend.

What are the hours of Spring BeerFest TO?

12pm to 7pm on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19. Taps turn off at 6:30pm on both days.

Are tickets on sale now? (Hint: YES!)

You can lock in your plans for the May Two-Four weekend now by clicking the button(s) below or on the home page of our website! Also, feel free to sign up to our email database HERE and we will let you know when we release our list of brewers and games.

Get Tickets to Spring Beerfest TO Saturday!

Get Tickets to Spring Beerfest TO Sunday!

What comes with a ticket?

General Admission tickets are $24.00 and come with entry to one day of the event and a commemorative sampling mug.

What kind of entertainment is at the event?

We have a ton of awesome games which you can find HERE, and music from Conor Cutz!

Conor Cutz is an open-format DJ and entrepreneur hailing from Toronto, Canada. Known for his turntablist background and ability to read any crowd, Conor redefines the role of a party DJ through style and sophistication.

Conor has worked closely with coveted brands such as Versace, Cadillac, Red Bull and Fashion Magazine to name a few and has been seen playing both corporate and club events across Canada, the U.S. and Western Europe. Most recently, Conor was asked to perform an exclusive U2 after party at the top of the CN Tower, and even appeared as a headliner for one of Canada’s largest cultural festivals on behalf of Toronto Dominion Bank.

Conor Cutz currently holds residencies at some of Toronto’s most notable venues including The Four Season’s Hotel, Brooklynn, SOHO House and more.

How do I get to Spring BeerFest TO?

Transit or cab is the best way to get to the event. Please do not drive. HERE are the best routes direct from the source: the people at Fort York Garrison Common

Can I leave and come back in?

There are no in/out privileges.

What happens if it rains?

This is an outdoor event. Please come prepared. The event happens rain or shine. You can bring your rain gear. Make sure you bring a rain jacket and rain boots are probably not a bad idea either. Umbrellas are allowed.

Is there parking?

We highly recommend you do not drive, but understand that some designated drivers need to find parking. Fort York Garrison Common list THESE as the closet parking spots.

Can I cover Spring BeerFest TO as Media?

Please email info@beerlicious.ca and put in your request.

Can I be a vendor at Spring BeerFest TO?

We are pretty full up this year, but we run many events throughout the year. Reach out to arizona@beerlicious.ca to see if there is a future fit!

Can I bring my children?

This is a 19+ event that includes beer. Although we love children, they will not be allowed on the grounds. This also means that we cannot allow babies in. This is tough for us, because babies are the best. No strollers, no babies, no children. We can only admit those who are 19+.

Can I bring my dog/cat/parrot/baby goat?

No pets with the exception of service animals and their human. You can, however, show us pictures of your pet when you are here.

Where do babies come from?

Storks.

Anything Else?

info@beerlicious.ca is our email address.

Go ahead and give us a follow/like on the following:

SpringBeerFestTO on Instagram

SpringBeerFestTO on Facebook

SpringBeerTO on Twitter

That’s right! The ultimate cottage in the city party is back again with amazing cottage games, delicious beer, and tasty food trucks for your enjoyment. Who needs the real cottage anyway when you have this event right in your backyard, right? It all goes down at Fort York: Garrison Common during the Victoria Day long weekend (May 18 & 19).

Tickets for Spring Beerfest TO go on-sale April 9th at 11am and cost $24.00 but you can purchase your tickets before anyone else if you sign up to our email list! Also, feel free to give us a follow and a like on our social channels below! Much appreciated. #BeerLove #SBFTO2019

Go ahead and give us a follow/like on the following:

SpringBeerFestTO on Instagram

SpringBeerFestTO on Facebook

SpringBeerTO on Twitter

If ice cold beer, incredible food, awesome games, and cottage vibes wasn’t already enough of a reason to buy your tickets to Spring Beerfest TO on the May 19 or 20 at Fort York: Garrison Common, then maybe this will help… Our official SBFTO branded buffs are in!

Anyone who purchases a Hoptimized ticket to the event gets one of these upon entry, in addition to being able to enter 1.5 hours before gates open and ten (10) tokens that can be used to purchase beer, food, and even festival merchandise. This is going to be an amazing weekend so don’t miss out!

Also, did you know that you can wear these buffs in 12 different ways? Here is a video that BUFF Headwear made which shows you exactly how to wear it:

Ticket Info:

General Admission Tickets are only $25. Consider upgrading your experience with a $35 Hoptimized Ticket which gets you early entry, 10 tokens (for food or brews) and our buffalo plaid Spring Beerfest TO Buff.

Get Tickets to Spring Beerfest TO Saturday!

Get Tickets to Spring Beerfest TO Sunday!

We have a ton of awesome games you can enjoy at the SBFTO 2018. If you haven’t had a chance to see what’s in store, you can read all about it by clicking HERE.

It’s the ultimate cottage in the city experience with ice cold beer, delicious eats from some of Toronto’s most popular food trucks, cottage vibes, fire pits, marshmallow roasting and so much more. See you there!

What a weekend! As we clean off our white sneakers and look back, a few things come to mind. Here’s a list of takeaways from a glorious weekend that included a little Saturday sun, a little Sunday rain and whole lotta cottage vibes…

The Trews Are Incredible: Seriously, Colin’s voice hitting those high notes in Highway of Heroes made me shed a tear.  And that encore. No words. Too good.

Rain Can’t Stop The Pouring: We had 18 brewers and thousands of attendees who powered through some serious sunshine on Saturday and some serious rain on Sunday.

Elliott Brood Are Cottage Vibes: These guys just have the perfect sound for a long weekend. I mean, the vibe on Saturday with the sun and the food and the brews and the people was unreal.

Roasting Marshmallows Is An Art: A 4pm each day, we sparked the fire pits and broke out the marshmallows. Roasting a marshmallow is a simple pleasure. Impossible not to smile when you crush a perfectly golden brown roast.

Soccer Darts Is Hard: We are thankful for Toronto Sport & Social Club for bringing some sporting activities to Spring Sessions. It was super cool to try soccer darts, but it also exposed a weakness in our footy game. Gotta get practicing. See you next year.

Bocce Is Perfect: There is no greater past time on earth. You can hold a brew in one hand and toss some bocce balls in the the other. It’s like there is balance in the force.

Pairs With Beer: Funny how things just pair so well with beer. Tiny Toms Donuts. Chimney Stax Mac n Cheese (with the beer cheese sauce), Smoke’s Poutine… we could go on.

All in all, a pretty solid May 2-4 Long Weekend. We hope you enjoyed yourself. Yes, we are doing it all again next year. Same time, same place.

Spring Sessions of Toronto’s Festival of Beer happens THIS weekend at Fort York Garrison Common!

Location: Fort York: Garrison Common. HERE is a map.

Hours: Noon to 7pm on Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21.

We will have plenty of activities for you and your mates this weekend. We created a Top 5 list to highlight what is going on at Spring Sessions … and because people tell us ‘You’ll get more clicks on the article if it’s a Top 6 list”:

1) See Live Music

Juno award-winning outfit Elliott Brood are playing a live acoustic Campfire Session on Saturday, May 20. Then, the very next day, Canadian Rockers The Trews will play their very own Campfire Session on Sunday, May 21. Pick your day and use code SAVEFIVE to take $5 off your tickets.

Get SATURDAY Spring Sessions Tickets!

Get SUNDAY Spring Sessions Tickets!

Use code SAVEFIVE to save $5 off Tickets!

2) Become a Legend at Soccer Darts

THIS IS BREAKING NEWS… The Toronto Sport & Social Club are bringing Soccer darts to Spring Sessions. We’re hearing that this may be the biggest thing to hit Toronto since the invention of the beautiful game! Haha. We totally can’t wait to try it!

3) Own The Bocce Court

Some reports stat that Bocce is the most played activity in the world. Thankfully Track & Field Bar has picked up on the trend and will be at Spring Sessions to host all your bocce needs. Bocce Standards Association rules apply. (Totally just made that rules part up. Apologies to those who are actually a part of the BSA. No disrespect homies.)

4) Roast A Marshmallow, or ten!

Hanging around a fire pit is pretty much mandatory. It’s like Rule 1 of the cottage: “If your clothes don’t smell like camp fire, were you actually even at the cottage, bro?” We have confirmed approval from the executives that marshmallow decisions…. THERE WILL BE MARSHMALLOWS!

5) Taste A Brew

18 brewers will showcase their wares this weekend at Fort York: Garrison Common. HERE’s the list of who is coming.  Our recommendation is to take your time. Sample it, don’t just drank it all down. Brewers work super hard to craft each brew. This is their life work. Enjoy it… and as always, please sample responsibly.

6) Eat Some Food

We hand selected and curated our favourite food purveyors and here’s a quick list of who will be there: Mustache Burger, Chimney Stax Baking Co, Ontario Corn Roasters, Oyster Boy, Tiny Toms, and Smoke’s Poutinerie. HERE’S the list.

There you go. Some tips from us to you. Here’s a video to get a taste from last year…

There are plenty of places to fill your belly in our fair city over a long weekend. You can also do it yourself at home on the BBQ. Those are all fine choices, but we’ve done a little legwork and made it super easy for you to enjoy a wide selection of tasty food all in one place. That place is the Spring Sessions of Toronto’s Festival of Beer. May 20-21.

Get SATURDAY Spring Sessions Tickets to see Elliott Brood!

Get SUNDAY Spring Sessions Tickets to see The Trews!

Use code SAVEFIVE to save $5 off Tickets!

Here is our curated a list of incredible food selections:

1) Mustache Burger:

If you find yourself drinking a Canadian-made brew on the May Two Four Long Weekend, just make sure you have a Canadian-made Mustache Burger to accompany it. It doesn’t get more Canadian than that. Unless of course you were sharing your burger with a Mountie. If you haven’t tried a Mustache Burger yet, get excited friends. Spring Sessions is almost here.

2) Chimney Stax Baking Co.:

Chimney Stax create giant towers of doughy goodness. Fresh-made, rotisserie-baked bread served sweet or savoury. They can be shared, but really… who do you even like that much to share these awesome treats with?

3) Ontario Corn Roasters:

The maestros of roasting corn are back. The smell of roasting corn is scientifically proven to make you a better person. It’s science. Food that comes with its own handle is pretty much the best thing ever. Mother nature approved!

4) Oyster Boy:

If you’ve never tried Oyster Boy, you must be shucking out of your mind. Oysters pair perfectly with pretty much every beer at Spring Sessions. Trust us, we‘re experts.

5) Tiny Toms:

The legend of Tiny Toms grow with every beer event. Like, one time: Tiny Toms doughnuts saved a man’s life. (Not really, but I had fun typing that) Get your hot little hands on these hot little doughnuts and wash it down with a cool brew and your pretty much living the dream.

6) Smoke’s Poutinerie:

Poutine is almost a food group now, so we had to have these legends at Spring Sessions. There is nothing I could write that hasn’t been said already about Poutine. Little known fact: Poutine literally translates to ‘awesome stuff in my belly’. True story.

There you have it. If these food choices don’t make you a wee bit hungry, then I’m sorry to say that you have no soul. See you on the May Long Weekend!

Spring Sessions of Toronto’s Festival of Beer happens on the May 2-4 Long Weekend at Fort York Garrison Common

Years ago I lost touch with my friend Mike. He had an awesome cottage in Muskoka that we crashed at every long weekend. It slept about 15 people, had a hot tub on the deck, a boat on a nice lake. Mike, I miss you man.

Every since we lost contact I’ve been trying to find a cure for my long weekend cottage needs. I can assume there are more people like me searching for that cottagey fix. That’s why we (the gang behind the legendary summer festival, Toronto’s Festival of Beer) created Spring Sessions. May Two Four Weekend, in the city.

Here are your 5 Best Bets (plus one bonus) for enjoying the Sesh’:

1) Live Music

I heard a friend of mine referred to Elliott Brood as Death Country music. That is so bad ass. The gents in Elliott Brood playing a live acoustic session right next to the campfire sounds like a perfect way to spend Saturday May 20. Then, the very next day, our pals in The Trews will play their very own Campfire Session on Sunday, May 21. This is like the absolute best-case scenario for a campfire cottage party, but instead of your one friend who picks up a guitar and only knows ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ – we hired pros: Elliott Brood and The Trews. Pick your day and use code SAVEFIVE to take $5 off your tickets.

Get SATURDAY Spring Sessions Tickets!

Get SUNDAY Spring Sessions Tickets!

Use code SAVEFIVE to save $5 off Tickets!

2) Bocce

Some reports stat that Bocce is the most played activity in the world. Thankfully Track & Field Bar has picked up on the trend and will be at Spring Sessions to host all your bocce needs. Bocce Standards Association rules apply. (Totally just made that rules part up. Apologies to those who are actually a part of the BSA. No disrespect homies.)

3) Let There Be Fire!

Hanging around a fire pit is pretty much mandatory. It’s like Rule 1 of the cottage: “If your clothes don’t smell like camp fire, were you actually even at the cottage, bro?” There may be marshmallows. Currently seeking approval from the people who make those marshmallow decisions. UPDATE: We have confirmed marshmallows. THERE WILL BE MARSHMALLOWS!

4) Cottage Vibes

Expect all the fixings of a cottage inside Fort York Garrison Common. Great beer, tasty food, your BFFs, and loads of games; like Giant Jenga. You see, it’s just like Jenga, but bigger, so be warned: if you decide to go ‘open toe’ with your footwear then a falling Jenga tower may be a hazard. Seriously.

5) Good Food

We hand selected and curated our favourite food purveyors and here’s a quick list of who will be there: Mustache Burger, Chimney Stax Baking Co, Ontario Corn Roasters, Oyster Boy, Tiny Toms, and Smoke’s Poutinerie. HERE’S the list.

BONUS BET: 6) Great Beer

Yes, there are only awesome Brewers at the ‘sesh. See the complete list HERE. Our recommendation is to take your time. Sample it, don’t just drank it all down. Brewers work super hard to craft each brew. This is their life work. Enjoy it… and as always, please sample responsibly.

There you go. Some tips from us to you. Here’s a video to get a taste from last year…

Hello Beer Friends and Beer Fam, As you all know TFOB Spring Sessions is back at Fort York Garrison Common with a great line-up of ice cold beer and tasty food, alongside some killer live music from The Trews and Elliott Brood. Tickets are on sale now and the link is below… But first! Let’s talk about winning stuff. Introducing #BeerHuntTO. This is a collaboration between the fine folks at Great Lakes Brewery and us, the gang at Toronto’s Festival of Beer.

Here’s the skinny:

You have the chance to score yourself some Spring Sessions tickets, along with some stylish GLB gear. This is sort-of-like a scavenger hunt, but made super simple. Check out THIS link from GLB which explains everything. All ye need to know is that awesome stuff is to be won and you need to follow GLB on Twitter and GLB on Facebook.

More on Spring Sessions:

Do you have plans for the May Two Four Long Weekend? Well… now you do! Toronto’s Festival of Beer Spring Sessions happens May 20 and May 21 at Fort York: Garrison Common. Come experience a curated selection of beer and food alongside cottage vibes and live music. New this year: Acoustic Campfire Sessions featuring Elliott Brood and The Trews.

Get Spring Sessions Tickets Now!

(and use code SAVEFIVE to save $5 off your tickets)

Discover a new brew, taste some killer culinary, play some cottage games and watch some amazing bands play acoustically in the Campfire Sessions. Sounds like a perfect cottage weekend … without the commute!

Here’s some quick links:

• Learn more about Juno award-winning Elliott Brood.
• Learn more about Canadian Rockers The Trews.
• Learn more about the Breweries that will be at Spring Sessions.
• Learn more about the Food options that will be at Spring Sessions.
• Or check out the Spring Sessions FAQ.