Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival continues to grow, boost economy
Photo / Jonathan Wheaton
The Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival, seen here in 2018, has become a major driver of the town's economy.
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The Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival is expected to draw more than 1,000 visitors to Skowhegan Saturday, with 20% of those who've bought tickets so far coming from out of state, organizers have told Mainebiz.
The festival is in its fourth year and has grown from 800 attendees in its first year to its cap of 1,100. This year, 700 tickets have already been sold in advance and VIP tickets were sold out by June. The festival limits attendance to "ensure the festival retains the small-town vibe attendees love," organizers said.
Of the 700 tickets sold so far, more than 140 have been bought by people from states as distant as Arizona and California, as well as from all five other New England states, said Kristina Cannon, executive director of Main Street Skowhegan. Massachusetts residents have bought the second-largest number of tickets, 43, after Mainers.
“It has been really amazing to watch the excitement for this event grow each year — among both locals and visitors from afar,” said Cannon. “This event is doing what it is intended to do — bring people to Skowhegan and enhance our town’s reputation as a local food and brew hub."
This year, there will be 33 craft brewers, distillers and wineries represented, according to a news release from Main Street Skowhegan, which coordinates the festival. As with all its previous years, the festival's beverages are all from Maine businesses.
Fests from Aroostook to York
Brew fests are not new in Maine — for instance, the Maine Lakes Brew Festival, scheduled for Sept. 28, is in its 16th year. That festival, held at Point Sebago in Casco, originated in Casco Village with a handful of local brewers and drew a crowd of around 300. Last year, attendance was 3,100.
As the focus on local economies and the state's craft beer industry has grown, however, so have the number of festivals devoted to craft beer and the number of attendees.
Craft been lovers can find festivals from York to Aroostook counties in Maine — closing out the season this year is the Aroostook County Beer & Wine Fest, on Oct. 5 in Presque Isle.
The Maine Brewers' Guild reported last year that the craft brewing industry pumps more than $260 million into the state's economy, and that 9 million visitors to the state made a craft brewery part of their trip in 2017, the most recent year with available data. The 9 million visitors represent 20% of total visitors to the state.
This year, craft beer festivals featuring Maine-made beer and other beverages were held in Augusta, Bangor, Boothbay, Houlton, Portland, Presque Isle, South Portland and Wells, among other cities and towns.
'Putting Skowhegan on the map'
In 2016, Cannon and the Maine Street Skowhegan board of directors "took the plunge" and planned the town's first craft brew festival, hoping it would help boost the town economy of the region and "put Skowhegan on the map as a destination for local beer and food."
Cannon believes the festival is playing a role in Skowhegan’s revitalization. With a population of 8,200, the town is on U.S. routes 2 and 201. But at an hour west of Bangor, 90 minutes north of Portland and without direct access to Interstate 95, Skowhegan is also considered by many to be off the beaten path, or a just another spot on the way to the mountains or Quebec.
“Skowhegan is notoriously a drive-through town," Cannon said. "At the brew fest, they become a captive audience. Once they spend a few hours in our historic downtown, many attendees want to come back."
She said while local merchants sell products during the event, "more often they see an impact after the festival — people who saw their shop while attending brew fest and came back specifically to purchase something.”
The town closes a block of Main Street to traffic for the festival, and the VIP hour begins at 2 p.m., featuring specialty brews and free food samples not available during the general admission portion, which runs from 3-7 p.m.
More music, food
New this year, organizers have added corn hole and a second music tent, providing entertainment at both ends of the festival. Acoustic acts — Skowhegan's Connor Reeves and Portland's Adam Miller — will play during VIP hour, and Papa Tim and the Desperate Man's Blues Explosion and the Rob Burnell Band will entertain attendees from 3-7 p.m.
The festival will also feature food including organic tacos, poutine, barbecue and more.
All proceeds benefit nonprofit Main Street Skowhegan and its ongoing revitalization efforts in Skowhegan.
The event, while organized by Main Street Skowhegan, is a business community effort, Cannon said. Event sponsors include Skowhegan Savings Bank, Kennebec Valley Tourism Council, Maine Grains, Butler’s Car Wash, Damon’s, DuBois Construction, Franklin Printing, Franklin Savings Bank, Hight Family of Dealerships, Short Circuit Electric, Redington-Fairview General Hospital, Animal Medical Clinic, Are You Ready to Party??, Kyes-Carpenter Insurance, The Towne Motel, Whittemore's Real Estate, The Maine Meal, The Miller's Table, Crooked Face Creamery, The Bankery and Skowhegan Fleuriste.
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