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Utah Beer Festival

Great post. You should honestly reach out to whoever ran and offer them your opinion and a hand in running it next year. I doubt they'd listen (do people usually?) but it can't hurt.

To me, from what you've said they'd be better off bumping it to $65 or thereabouts and having unlimited food and drink with a bunch more tents set up with chairs. The experience would be that much more positive.

They tried to do unlimited samples and got away with it for a year (maybe two) but Senator Valentine got wind of it and shut that **** down. It's against Utah law not to charge per alcoholic beverage.

That said, tickets should cost $0.50 each. And no sample should cost $4 for what is going to end up being 4oz of beer.
 
They sold out so fast. I think they should have charged more to get in and made everything nicer.
 
They sold out so fast. I think they should have charged more to get in and made everything nicer.

That's what's crazy, and sad. If they're selling out like that then they have no motivation to improve anything.
 
Without VIP tickets this thing would have sucked.

VIP saved my wife's life. We chilled in the Leonardo 90% of the day. I made the rounds now and then and brought **** back. My wife didn't leave the Leonardo until about 7:30.

Don't bother with this. Go to a real beer fest in another state.

Next May in Chicago, Beer Under Glass at the Garfield Park Conservatory; it's the kick-off event for Chicago Craft Beer Week. Y'all outta come!!!
 
So this year's beer fest will be a bit different.

First and foremost, no beer sample will cost more than two "tickets." Last year the vast majority of beers were supposed to cost one ticket, but in reality about 70% cost three tickets (each ticket cost a dollar and samples were 4oz).

This year there will be no actual tickets. You have a wristband that has all you credits on it.

This year it will be held at the Salt Lake County Fair Grounds (my hood).

I was disappointed last year, but I like what they've done this year so I'm in.

Earlier this year I went to a beer festival in San Diego and it was so incredibly different than my experience at last year's Utah Beer Festival. Lines were non-existent, mostly because of how much easier it was to pour from a tap than to open bottles. Plus there was no ticket system at all, you paid the entry fee and got free samples after that. Can't do that in Utah, so they had to deal with tickets and opening bottles and never had time to rinse your sample cup (in San Diego they would rinse your cup for you before putting their beer into it).

So I'm going. I'm doing the VIP thing again this year. I'll report back as to the enjoyment factor.
 
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I got my tickets. Bummed it's at the fair ground since the old spot was 2 blocks from my house but I think this will be better than last year.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using JazzFanz mobile app
 
Give me some deets blokes! What date? What time? How much?
 
Give me some deets blokes! What date? What time? How much?

August 27th

https://www.cityweekly.net/utah/utah-beer-festival-2015/Content?oid=2812799

https://utahbeerfest.kostizi.com/EventMicroSite/6400

General Admission is $15 starts at 2pm

Early Beer Drinker is $25 and starts at 1pm

VIP is $50, grants early access (1pm), chill in the VIP lounge, get exclusive beer and food pairings (last year was 8 extra samples and food to go with them as well as an air conditioned place to go and sit down.)
 
The lines are pretty much non-existent before 2pm, so you can really load up early and relax more once the crowd shows up.

Last year VIPs got a schwag bag full of stuff. Nothing too impressive, but it was alright.
 
I got my tickets. Bummed it's at the fair ground since the old spot was 2 blocks from my house but I think this will be better than last year.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using JazzFanz mobile app

I'm kind of happy since I have to get there from WJ either way, and the fair grounds are about a half mile from where I grew up, and there are building there, so there's a possibility that there will be places to escape the sun.

So I already see mini-meetup status on this thing. Fish needs to jump in and make it official.
 
I'm kind of happy since I have to get there from WJ either way, and the fair grounds are about a half mile from where I grew up, and there are building there, so there's a possibility that there will be places to escape the sun.

So I already see mini-meetup status on this thing. Fish needs to jump in and make it official.
Tough to officiallize anything this early... And having a baby has destroyed my social life. But I really would like to have this sucker be a mini meet up so I will definitely try to make it.
 
Tough to officiallize anything this early... And having a baby has destroyed my social life. But I really would like to have this sucker be a mini meet up so I will definitely try to make it.

Totally understandable.

Just a heads up, ticket prices are supposedly going up in August. But take that with a grain of salt, they were supposed to go up on July 15th, but didn't. On like July 1st and 3rd they posted on the event facebook page that VIP tickets were almost sold out, they did the same thing last year. Anyway, VIP tickets are still available, and were available last year for several weeks after they said they were almost gone.
 
I read their FAQ on the wristbands they'll use for payments this year. Seems like a huge HUGE improvement over what they did last year.

First, last year samples cost between 1-4 tickets each and tickets cost $1. most samples were 3 tickets.

This year samples will cost 1 or 2 tickets. I imagine it'll be 2 tickets for anything over 4%abv.

Instead of having tickets you'll just swipe an RFID wristband. You can preload the wristband or even have it automatically top-up any time it gets too low and they'll refund any credits you have after the event is over.

Multiple people can link their wristbands together and draw from the same account.

You can manage you credits with an app on your phone to add more credits or get them refunded.

There will actually be shade.

Proceeds benefit the Humane Society of Utah.
 
I read their FAQ on the wristbands they'll use for payments this year. Seems like a huge HUGE improvement over what they did last year.

First, last year samples cost between 1-4 tickets each and tickets cost $1. most samples were 3 tickets.

This year samples will cost 1 or 2 tickets. I imagine it'll be 2 tickets for anything over 4%abv.

Instead of having tickets you'll just swipe an RFID wristband. You can preload the wristband or even have it automatically top-up any time it gets too low and they'll refund any credits you have after the event is over.

Multiple people can link their wristbands together and draw from the same account.

You can manage you credits with an app on your phone to add more credits or get them refunded.

There will actually be shade.

Proceeds benefit the Humane Society of Utah.

When?
 
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