Record crowd of 15,000 at 10th annual Great Kiwi Beer Festival

Saturday, 30 January 2021

The Christchurch staple, in its ninth year, drew about 12,000 visitors who had more than 300 craft beers to choose from (video first published January 2020)

Nearly 15,000 people flocked to The Great Kiwi Beer Festival in Christchurch on Saturday, a new record attendance for the event's 10-year anniversary.

And it was only 10 months ago the festival’s managing director, Callam Mitchell, was debating whether he would have to put his events business into hibernation.

“I think people are just happy to have something to do in this Covid world,' Mitchell said.

The week leading up to the festival was nervous, Mitchell said, given the situation in Auckland, where three cases linked to the Pullman Hotel managed isolation facility were found in the community.

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The festival's managing director, Callam Mitchell.

“It seems like the Government have got in under control, touch wood,' he said.

Saturday's festival, held in North Hagley Park in Christchurch, had 45 breweries, about 30 food vendors, and live music on offer.

Belinda Gould, one of the owners of Christchurch's family-owned Brew Moon brewery, said they have had a stall at the festival since it began.

A crowd of about 15,000 attended the festival on Saturday.

“It's just a great place to show the beers to the locals,' Gould said.

Brew Moon were offering a special breakfast buffet brew on Saturday. It had raspberry, mango, coconut, mint, and a bit of milk too. 'It’s a full breakfast,' Gould said.

“It's been a great crowd, everyone's got a smile on their face, it's beautiful day, it's not too hot, it’s great.”

According to MetService, temperatures were hovering about 18 degrees for most of Saturday afternoon.

For Charlotte Dawber-Ashley, the festival brought back a sense of normality, given she only returned from London and got out of managed isolation and quarantine in late December.

“It feels amazing, in London we haven't lived a normal life since March, every time you got out you’re wearing a mask, social-distancing, they’re in lockdown again,' she said.

“Kiwis are so lucky and they shouldn’t take it for granted,' Dawber-Ashley said. 'All my UK friends wish they could be here as well.'

She was thankful the beer festival had wine too, saying she was not a beer drinker herself.

Dawber-Ashley summed the day up as blissful.

“Good friends, sun, drinks, [and] music, what more could you want?”