An keen literature teacher with a passion for beer, its ingredients and craft brewing, Paule Gosselin loves above all to share her love of excellent brewing products through her writing. She’s always on the lookout for trends.
If you’re like me, you’re already starting to daydream about the summer season ahead and your fall plans. But the calendar is already filling up, even though it’s only spring! Well, here’s a nice little rundown of fall beer festivals you won’t want to miss!
First, before autumn arrives…
First of all, before we get too far into fall, for me, beer festival season kicks off with the vacations and the Commission brassicole de St-Casimir. In a nutshell, to whet your appetite, this year’s Commission brassicole will take place on June 16-17-18, with Saturday being the highlight of the event. We’re already announcing more than 80 beers, more than 12 local food producers and superb musical and artistic performances. This year, the Quebec Redneck Bluegrass Project, Keith Kouna and Bleu Jeans Bleu, among others, are expected to perform. It’s the perfect place to drink Les Grands Bois, Noctem Artisans brasseurs, Griendel, l’Isle de Garde, Tête d’Allumette, la brasserie du Bas-Canada, Dieu du Ciel! and more. Tickets are already on line. And if you’re a first-timer, this festival, which showcases mainly Portneuf artisans, will make you want to come back every year! Over 3,500 people are expected to attend.
Some big fall brewing events
Then, a little later, the action shifts to Chambly! The official fall beer festival season kicks off at Bières et Saveurs de Chambly! This year’s edition will take place from September 1 to 4, as always, at Fort Chambly Park, a majestic and historic site. It’s a great place to stroll around. It’s also a very special edition, celebrating the festival’s twentieth year of existence. Booths galore: microbrewery beers, ciders, meads, spirits, wines from Quebec vineyards, food trucks, artists, a lively stage, various rest areas and conferences. Like every year, this festival is a must for Quebec beer lovers! Some 60,000 festival-goers attend!
The week after, from September 8 to 10, 2023, the Repentigny Oktoberfest will be held at Parc de l’île-Lebel in the Lanaudière region. Now in its sixteenth year, the Repentigny Oktoberfest also features beers from Quebec microbreweries, ciders, spirits, foodtrucks and a comedy cabaret, attracting some 40,000 beer lovers, thanks to some 80 exhibitors, including some 40 microbreweries. A children’s playground is also on site.
Finally, La Grande Coulée – Festival de bière awaits you from September 15 to 17, 2023, at Chemin du Parc, Mont-Orford. The enchanting site is encircled by breathtaking mountains and panoramic
panoramic landscapes. The event, which has been running since 2015, is accessible via a ski lift. In addition to microbrewery beers, of course, you can sample oysters, halloumi cheese, foies gras, coffees and more. It’s a brewing and gourmet destination that attracts around 25,000 people at a time when the autumn colors are literally exploding.
Finally, if you have the opportunity to travel to Percé in late September 2023, it will be the Oktoberfest Gaspésien, a festival taking place at the UNESCO Geopark, Route 132 West. Cradled by the excellent brewers of the East and the sea breeze, you’ll be tasting brewing gems. At the time of writing, information was not available for the 2023 edition. The 2022 edition was interrupted by Hurricane Fiona. A few thousand festival-goers still gather there, enjoying the warm atmosphere of the Pub Pit Caribou, just a stone’s throw from the Oktoberfest site.
Relevant links to Quebec brewfests
Commission brassicole : https://lepointdevente.com/billets/ICB230616001
Bière et Saveurs de Chambly : https://www.bieresetsaveurs.com/
Oktoberfest de Repentigny : https://www.oktoberfestderepentigny.com/en/
Grande Coulée – Festival de bière : https://www.montorford.com/fr-ca/evenements/festival-la-grande-coulee
Oktoberfest Gaspésien: https://oktoberfestgaspesien.ca/
