When the mother of all beer festivals, Denver’s Great American Beer Festival, got its start in 1982, it was an unprecedented event. Thirty years later, the words “beer” and “festival” are everywhere it seems, defined as everything from sophisticated multi-day tastings to casual afternoon block parties.
But in its third year, Saturday’s Winter Beer Carnival claims to be a unique event where you can sample more than a hundred different beers while enjoying all sorts of fun and games, including knocking the block off Rock’em Sock’em Robots, swinging a mallet to “Ring the Bell” and running wild in a fun house.
Melding the amusement show with the beer festival was the big idea of Rob Frazer, one of the founding partners of Premier Events, the Atlanta event production company that helps put on the Dogwood Festival, Taste of Atlanta, the Atlanta Jazz Festival and many other major metro area gatherings.
“We do a lot of work with food and beverage concessions,” Frazer said. “We’ve seen the trend of people in the city really coming around to craft beer and we wanted to be a part of that. But we wanted to do something with a little different twist and that’s where the carnival idea came together.”
This year’s Beer Carnival is being held at the Atlantic Station special events site off 20th Street, a location Frazer said will provide plenty of parking for designated drivers, plus taxi stands and MARTA connections via the free Atlantic Station Shuttle.
Frazer curated the beer list, which has some mainstream favorites, along with imports, American craft beers, winter seasonals, ciders and gluten-free brews.
“I spent a lot of time coming up with a high quality list,” Frazer said. “I looked at ratings on every beer I chose while trying to get an eclectic mix from different states and countries. At least 40 of the beers have a 90 or better rating on Beer Advocate.”
VIP ticket holders will have a special tasting area with a selection of limited and large format beers, such as Brooklyn Local 1, Dogfish Head Namaste, Great Divide Espresso Oak Aged Yeti and the new Sweetwater Dank Tank creation.
New games this year include a takeoff on Angry Birds, called Angry Beers, and a water pump-driven duck pond race. The Atlanta Bocce League will set up bocce ball matches. And look for a surprise attraction similar to last year’s popular snow slide.
In addition to classic carnival concessions, such as corn dogs and funnel cakes, several area restaurants, including Ormsby’s, the Barrel House and Ri Ra Irish Pub, will have food for sale.
“This is a beer event, but it’s a lot more,” Frazer said. “It’s a fun festival that has the atmosphere of a carnival. Who doesn’t love that?”
Event
Winter Beer Carnival, 3-7 p.m. Saturday. $40-$50 general admission includes beer and games. $60 VIP ticket includes special tasting area and 2 p.m. early admission. $20-$30 designated driver admission includes games. Tickets for ages 21 and up, 877-725-8849 or www.ticketalternative.com. Atlantic Station special event site, 241 20th Street N.W., Atlanta, www.winterbeercarnival.com.
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