Annual event continues to draw hundreds to Nackawic’s waterfront
Another capacity crowd filled the field under the shadow of Nackawic’s famous big axe to taste the wares of four dozen craft alcohol producers and celebrate together at the 2024 Big Axe Craft Beer Festival.
The event, held on the Nackawic waterfront Saturday afternoon and evening, July 23, offered the sold-out crowd a chance to socialize, listen to music, play games, and sample a wide variety of beer, wine, and spirits courtesy of producers across the Maritimes and beyond.
Ticket holders arrived at the event by car, boat, or shuttle bus from several New Brunswick locations.
The festival, organized by Big Axe Brewery in Nackawic and sponsored by several Nackawic, Fredericton and other Upper St. John River Valley businesses, has annually sold all tickets.
Krystle Pitre, event co-organizer and brewery operations manager, said the festival’s vendor support remains strong, with many producers returning annually.
She said the festival welcomed five new vendors this year — Breton Brewing, Cold Stream, Mystic Sea, Good Robot Brewing and Black Galley Distilling.
Hot, muggy weather greeted the festival attendees on Saturday, although a late afternoon thunderstorm and heavy rain sent them scurrying for cover.
The festival kicked off Friday evening with music from Denver Monteith and the evening’s headliner, Certified.
Pitre said the Friday event crowd was slightly lower than usual, but 60 tickets went unused.
“Maybe the heat had something to do with it,” she said.
The Essentials provided music under the big tent during the packed festival on Saturday.
