TFOB

Spring BeerFest TO starts today! Tickets are now on sale, and cottage vibes are in the air! All that’s left to do is figure out 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 – Doors Open for Hoptimized Ticket Holders
• 1:00pm – Doors Open for General Admission Ticket Holders
• 6:30pm – Last Call
• 6:45pm – Taps Off
• 7:00pm – Closed

11 – What You Can Bring…

• –Valid photo ID – This is a 19+ event (a photocopy of ID does not count)
• –Your Ticket. (Best to print it out and bring with you, unless you ordered a mobile ticket)
• -Sunblock
• -Sunglasses
• -Hat
• -Comfortable Shoes
• -Cash
• -TTC tokens / PRESTO card
• -Mobile phone – to take selfies, call a cab or Ubes – Please enjoy responsibly, don’t drink and drive.
• -Raincoat, Umbrella (check the weather before you leave home)
• -Blanket

10 – 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) Even if you have a teeny tiny baby, we cannot let anyone under the age of 19 in the event. We hope you understand.
• -Water Bottles – Our event will offer free water. You do not need to bring that fancy water bottle!
• -Opened water bottles
• -Food
• -Chairs
• -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.
• -Illegal Substances (aka: Weed, ganja, green, doobs, doobies, reefer, trees, hash, hashish, devils lettuce, shrooms, or any other type of drug)

9 – Think Ca$h

We appreciate plastic just as much as the next person, but cash is king at the Festival. We have teams walking around 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 Booths do accept Credit Card Payments, but we always reco cash for getting ‘er done quickly.

8 – 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.

7 – Your Backpack Will be Searched

We’ll be using metal detector wands and searching backpacks 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.

6 – Don’t Drink & Drive

Don’t drive! It’s a Beer Festival and chances are you’ll be enjoying some beverages. Not only do we not want you to drink and drive, but it’s going to be a challenge maneuvering your way around the city with large events going on.  Please enjoy the convenience of the TTC or a cab or an Ubes. Yeah, we said Ubes.

5 – 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 2018.

4 – Bring Your Appetite

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

3 – Game On!

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

2 – Marshmallows

Spring BeerFest TO has all the fixings of a cottage. This includes fire pits and marshmallows. Fans can expect us to break the marshmallows out each day around 4pm.

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!! Your raincoat, rubber boats, umbrella may make your experience better today (day 1) since it rained a bit this morning but tomorrow (Sunday) it’s clear skies and warm weather. Even if it rains, we pour.

 

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.

 

 

 

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.

 

 

Please note: This content is from 2016.

The 5 Best Things to do in Toronto This May 24 Weekend

Not everyone is lucky enough to have a buddy who invites their friends to the cottage every May two-four long weekend. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not too bad though because Toronto is a kick-ass place to be in, especially during the Spring and Summer. There’s some pretty cool stuff to do this May 24 weekend in Toronto.

This is why you don’t need to worry about FOMO like you did when you were 19 because everywhere you turn there is something that can scratch that itch for entertainment.

That’s why we put a list together for the people that won’t be getting away to the cottage but are still looking for something fun to do in Toronto with their pals. Here are 5 things that you can do in the city on your May 24 long weekend.

 

1. Face off with your buds in a sweet game of Archery Tag

Archery tag is like stepping in to the war of Castle Black from Game of Thrones, minus the severe injury that would come along with the real thing. What could be more fun than shooting foam tip bow-n-arrows at high speeds towards at your buddies and only for one team to come up as the winner. There are a ton of archery places to choose from in Toronto, but if we had to recommend a few we would say Archers Arena and Archer District are a good place to start.

 

 

 

2. Axe Throwing

Axe throwing has become super popular around the city in the last few years. It’s like dart throwing on steroids! What’s great is that there are multiple games to play when you go to these Axe Throwing places so you won’t get bored after a few tries. Places like BATL and Bad Axe Throwing each take large groups and allow you and your friends to play different games to keep you entertained from start to finish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Go On A Brewery Tour

Toronto has some of the best beer! We know this for a fact, of course.. There are different tours available across the city that all aim to fulfill your thirsty taste buds. Our pals like Great Lakes Brewery, Mill Street Brew Pub and Steamwhistle Brewery all have really good tours and are even opened on the long weekend. Be sure to arrive early though, most are on a first come first serve basis.

 

 

 

 

4. Catch The Boys in Red at BMO Field

On May 21 Toronto FC faces Columbus Crew SC at BMO Field and it’s the perfect place for you and the buds to enjoy some excitement by cheers on the boys in Red. Make sure you let our Italian brother Sebastian Giovinco know that we sent you!

 

 

 

 

5. Go to Spring Sessions of Toronto’s Festival of Beer 2016!

On May 21 and 22 we’re hosting the 3rd annual Spring Sessions Festival, or as we like to call it – the Sesh’. Come celebrate the long weekend ‘cottage style’ in the city at the foot of Lower Sherbourne Street. We will be bringing together 20 breweries and food vendors. Tickets are $30 and they are going fast!

 

 

 

 

 

Hope to see you on the May Long Weekend!

Get Tickets to Saturday, May 21 Spring Sessions HERE.

(use code TWOFOUR to save $5 off tickets)

Get tickets to Sunday, May 22 of Spring Sessions HERE.

(Ticket comes with Official Spring Sessions Snapback)

 

Please note: This content is from 2016.

It’s a great time to be a beer lover! Whatever style you prefer, we probably have it at the Sesh’. As always, please sample responsibly. We listed 15 below, but chances are that we add a few more closer to the date. You never know!

 

Here’s a curated list of Brewers at Spring Sessions:

 

1) Steam Whistle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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2) Big Rig Brewery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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3) All Or Nothing Brewhouse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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4) Henderson Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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5) Sawdust City Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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6) Brickworks Ciderhouse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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7) Old Tomorrow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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8) Goose Island Beer Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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9) Mill St. Brewery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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10) Great Lakes Brewery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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11) Creemore Springs Brewery Limited

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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12) Granville Island Brewing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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13) Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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14) Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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15) High Park Brewery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Now each Brewer may bring a variety of styles, so while on site, make sure you ask the people working each booth what is on offer. Brewers (and staff of brewing companies) love to talk beer, beer styles, beer trends… so channel your inner beer nerd and start those convos!

Want to find out what food will be there? Check this blog out.

 

Hope to see you on the May Long Weekend!

 

Get tickets to Saturday, May 21^st Spring Sessions HERE.

(use code TWOFOUR to save $5 off tickets)

 

Get tickets to Sunday, May 22^nd of Spring Sessions HERE.

(Ticket comes with Official Spring Sessions Snapback)