Inaugural Kanata Craft Beer Festival raises glass to community

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KANATA – The team behind the Orléans Craft Beer Festival served up a weekend of craft beer, food trucks and live music in Ottawa’s west end.

The inaugural Kanata Craft Beer Festival at KRP Properties featured a photobooth, giveaways and games.

Performances included local artists Valley Mountain and The Vanduras on Sept. 19, and Dueling Pianos, DJ Mace, the Timber Line and Disco Inferno on Sept. 20.

Ottawa Senators Street Team ambassador Kolten Kudrinko handed out prizes such as branded hats, belt bags, water bottles, sunglasses and most importantly: beer koozies.

Kinburn’s Covered Bridge Brewing Co. was one of 37 craft breweries, cideries and distilleries in attendance this weekend.

Covered Bridge co-owner and brewer John VanDyke says he’s optimistic the Kanata festival will catch on like its Orléans counterpart, which has operated for the past seven years.

“It’s been a little slower, but it’s only the first year,” he said. “I think it’s a great location. It seems to work really well even though it’s a parking lot. It’s nicely set up – lots of tents and lots of room for people.”

Covered Bridge was established in Stittsville in 2013, but relocated to Kinburn last year.

“It’s been really good actually, really positive,” VanDyke said in reference to the move. “People in Kinburn have been super supportive. We got a great group of locals there that come out and support us.”

VanDyke says Covered Bridge’s best seller was their chocolate hazelnut stout. The whiskey-barrel aged beer was brewed in honour of Covered Bridge’s 10-year anniversary.

“It’s probably been out selling everything else because it’s gotten a little cooler out and people like a stout to warm up,” he said.

“I just had that one and it was fantastic,” Ottawa resident Brandon Gagnon said.

Gagnon says he made the trip from downtown Ottawa to Kanata because of the variety of beers offered at the festival.

“I’m just honestly thankful for the breweries that are a little bit further away coming out here,” he said. “It’s nice to try some beers, and if you really like one then it’s worth the trip out.”

Festival coordinator Theresa Smith says her team’s goal was to bring people together and connect with the community.

“I feel like our events really attract a great crowd,” she said. “It’s just been love, fun and having a good time.”

Kanata North Coun. Cathy Curry and Mayor Mark Sucliffe attended the festival’s Saturday afternoon session, which honoured local charities and community organizations such as CHEO, The Ottawa Hospital Foundation and The Canadian Armed Forces.

Smith says she is hopeful the Kanata Craft Beer Festival will become a yearly tradition to say cheers to the summer, which is kicked off by the Orléans Festival in early June.

“It’s nice to see that being replicated in Kanata and all that work that we put into it come to fruition,” she said. 

There’s no word yet on if the Kanata Craft Beer Festival will return to the west end, but some residents have already declared their interest.

In between sips of craft beer, local Riley Evan’s put it best.

“I live in Kanata; I enjoy beer,” he said. “Hence, my attendance.”