Here’s your guide to the major Raleigh Brewgaloo beer festival

The beer is back in town.

Beer festivals mostly took a two-year break during the COVID-19 pandemic. But this weekend North Carolina’s biggest beer festival will return downtown Raleigh.

The a two-day Brewgaloo beer festival will be held on Friday and Saturday. Located along Fayetteville Street, Brewgaloo attracts more than 100 North Carolina breweries and ciders to Raleigh by pouring pints and samples.

This will be the first full-scale Brewgaloo in two years.

“We seem to be completing the full circle,” said Jennifer Martin, executive director of Shop Local Raleigh, organizer of Brewgaloo. “It will be great to see a bustling bustling downtown filled with people. We feel that people will see what we lacked. “

What is available for Brewgaloo

There are two days and two ways to Brewgaloo.

Friday

Friday party block. As in previous years, Friday’s event is something smaller, with a limited number of tickets designed to attract visitors looking for less crowds but more beer.

This night is more like typical beer festivals, where visitors receive an unlimited number of tastings at the entrance price, poured into a 3-ounce sample glass. Tickets for Friday’s event cost $ 45 if purchased early, or $ 55 on the spot, with draft beer, live music and food trucks from 6pm to 10pm

It’s actually a two-quarter festival this year that runs along Fayetteville Street from City Plaza to Martin Street.

“We went more on Friday night,” Martin said. “It’s a smaller crowd size and it will mean more space to wander, hang out and walk for those who are still cautious out.”

Saturday

The main event of Brewgaloo is Saturday from 13:00 to 21:00. In the years leading up to COVID-19, it attracted 40,000 people, Martin said.

Participation in Saturday’s event is free, tickets are not required. But you’ll need beer tickets sold in packs of $ 25 to $ 30 before the festival, $ 40 on the spot. Five tickets buy a full pint of beer, and two tickets get 3 ounces.

“You can come listen to live music and order food from the food truck,” Martin said. “There’s no need to buy a ticket to come.”

At more than 100 breweries and more than 50 food trucks Brewgaloo has grown into one of Raleigh’s largest festivals. Martin said some breweries will run eight to 20 barrels, all of which pour North Carolina flavor.

“All breweries are owned by local owners, and for some it will be the largest festival they attend all year,” Martin said.

Breweries

Brewgaloo stands out among the major Triangle beer festivals, attracting only breweries from North Carolina. That means places in his hometown like Steel String, Bond Brothers and Fortnight, and a taste of Charlotte beer, including NoDa Brewing, Birdsong and Olde Mecklenburg, East North Carolina Spaceway Brewing and Casita and Wise Man and Foothills Winston- Salem.

As for cider and celery, look for James Creek Cider House, Oak City Bubbly, Red Clay Ciderworks and a dozen others.

For a complete list visit shoplocalraleigh.org/brewgaloo

The twists and turns of the pandemic

In 2020, when the pandemic made traditional beer festivals impossible, Brewgaloo canceled its usual activities and switched to the Drive thru festival, where beer lovers took samples to take home rather than throw them away. There were a total of five virtual Brewgaloo, four in Raleigh and one in Durham.

It was a break for indefinite times. When Brewgaloo moved to the personal festival last September, it attracted 25,000 people – a big event but still pale compared to past events.

Martin said last year’s festival offered a useful practice ahead of Brewgaloo 2022, a moment she hopes will begin the revival of downtown Raleigh.

“We have now retained an additional handwashing station and are organizing a larger event on Friday night,” Martin said. “It makes a better experience for everyone. Our entire mission is to support local businesses. For them it is huge. … People didn’t stop drinking and eating, but they stopped shopping (in person). “