A new Hops and Harvest dinner being planned for early September will celebrate Quesnel’s craft beer and local food scene, as well as its place on the B.C. Ale Trail.
Quesnel and Barkerville Brewing Co. are part of the Northern B.C. Ale Trail, which runs from Prince Rupert down to Quesnel and is one of many regional B.C. Ale Trails throughout the province. B.C. Ale Trail is a project funded by Destination B.C. and stakeholders to highlight craft brewery destinations and the natural landscapes that surround them. Each Ale Trail has a recommended itinerary to inspire exploration at each destination.
“With craft beer being an economic and tourism driver in our province, we thought creating an event like Hops and Harvest would not only promote Quesnel as a craft brewery destination but also as a hosting community,” said Jennifer Reed, the City of Quesnel’s marketing co-ordinator.
Reed notes that B.C. has the fastest-growing craft beer market in Canada, with more than 180 craft breweries, eight of which are in northern B.C. The first northern craft brewery opened in 2013, and our very own Barkerville Brewing Co. was one of the first, opening in 2014.
Hops and Harvest is a dinner event, hosted by the City of Quesnel in partnership with B.C. Ale Trail, to celebrate our local craft beer scene, farm-fresh cuisine and our history.
The event will be held Saturday, Sept. 7 at the City’s Hosting Precinct outside the West Fraser Centre.
“It will be beautifully decorated by Edgewood Farm with fresh hops and lights, and we also have a fun and unique activity planned for our guests,” said Reed.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the dinner will start at 6:30 p.m. There will be a cash bar, and there will be entertainment by the Barkerville Players, as well as a DJ.
Hops and Harvest tickets are $65 each and can be purchased at Barkerville Brewing Co. and Rocky Peak Adventure Gear in Quesnel, Cycle Logic in Prince George and Red Shreds in Williams Lake.
Tickets include two craft beer samples, appies by Long Table Grocery, dinner catered by Craig’s Table, coffee and dessert, live entertainment, dancing into the night, and a safe ride home. You must be 19 or older to attend. Tickets are on sale now — payable by cash only — and the number of available tickets is limited to 130.
The City has also partnered with Gold Rush Cycling Club to offer free, guided mountain bike rides in the Wonderland Trail Network, before the dinner. These rides are open to all skill levels and are open to non-ticket-holders as well.
“We thought this was the perfect opportunity to get locals and visitors excited about our multi-use trails,” said Reed.
There will be three different departure times, at noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., and only 10 spots are available for each departure time.
Pre-register for the rides by emailing jreed@quesnel.ca by Aug. 31 with your name and skill level. More details will be emailed to you upon registration.
To welcome visitors from neighbouring communities, the City of Quesnel has also partnered with the Billy Barker Casino Hotel to offer discounted rooms for the evening.
For more information, visit tourismquesnel.com/hops-harvest.