Alberta Beer Festivals
Alberta Beer Festivals is a privately held Calgary-based event company, founded in 2002, that organizes craft beer and spirits festivals across Alberta (Calgary, Edmonton, Banff), selling tickets, sample tokens, sponsorships, and after-party access to adult consumers and beverage producers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersCalgary, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Alberta Beer Festivals does
Alberta Beer Festivals (ABF) is a privately held, Calgary-based event management company founded in 2002 by Bill Robinson (President) and Mark Kondrat (CEO) that organizes consumer-facing craft beer and spirits festivals across the Canadian province of Alberta. The company operates three core annual festivals — Banff Craft Beer Festival (at the Cave and Basin National Historic Site), Calgary International Beerfest (BMO Centre, Stampede Park, self-marketed as "Canada's Largest Beer Festival"), and Edmonton Craft Beer Festival (Edmonton Expo Centre) — together with co-located after-party events and the Aroabora Music Festival. Its portfolio of add-on products includes the VIP "Beer Geek" ticket tier, the Golden Ticket Contest, the People's Choice Awards, and "Beerfest In A Box." The company employs between 1 and 10 people, with key staff including a Director, COO, Digital Marketing Manager, and Volunteer Coordinator.
ABF generates revenue through four primary streams: ticket sales (general admission and VIP, sold via Showpass and non-refundable but transferable), on-site sample token sales ($1 per token, sold in blocks of 10, with 4oz beer samples priced at a 2-token minimum and pre-purchase available online in $40 blocks), exhibitor and sponsorship fees from breweries, distilleries, cideries, meaderies, RTD brands, and food vendors, and separate after-party ticket sales. The technology stack is non-proprietary and consists of third-party integrations: Showpass for ticketing and token pre-purchase, Bloomerang and InitLive for volunteer management, Drinc!ca for interactive event maps, and standard paid social / Google AdWords for marketing. Content assets include the "Craft Column" blog and the CREATE – The Podcast sub-brand.
The go-to-market motion is event-driven and community-anchored: acquisition flows through owned social channels (@abbeerfestivals, @ApresFestivals), email newsletters, the Craft Column, the CREATE podcast, PR/media fact sheets, and a volunteer/ambassador program. Charity partnerships with 30+ Alberta nonprofits (including MADD Calgary, Calgary Humane Society, WIN House, Rocky Mountain Adaptive) and operational initiatives such as reusable collector mugs (claimed to reduce garbage by 95%) and designated-driver/taxi partners position safety and community impact as central to the value proposition for both attendees and exhibitor brands.
Alberta Beer Festivals firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Alberta Beer Festivals
- Legal name
- Alberta Beer Festivals
- Website
- https://albertabeerfestivals.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Alberta Beer Festivals is a privately held Calgary-based event company, founded in 2002, that organizes craft beer and spirits festivals across Alberta (Calgary, Edmonton, Banff), selling tickets, sample tokens, sponsorships, and after-party access to adult consumers and beverage producers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Alberta Beer Festivals industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Festival and Live Event Management
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food, Wine & Beverage Festivals/Expos (MPAGAFAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Food, Drink & Culinary Community Festivals (Community-Led) (MPAGAEAF), Beer, Brewery & Craft Beverage Tastings (THAJAGAE), Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF), Music Festival Organizers & Promoters (MPAGAAAB)
Keywords
Where Alberta Beer Festivals is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Calgary
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Alberta Beer Festivals business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from admission tickets to festivals. Tickets are sold through Showpass platform and are non-refundable but fully transferable. Various ticket tiers including general admission and VIP Beer Geek packages.
- Sample Token Sales: At events, attendees purchase sample tokens ($1 each, sold in blocks of 10) to sample beverages and food. Beer samples are 4oz minimum (2 tokens), spirits 0.5oz (2+ tokens), wine 2oz. Pre-purchase available online in $40 denominations.
- Sponsorship & Exhibitor Fees: Revenue from brewery, distillery, restaurant, and brand sponsorships and exhibitor booth fees. The company offers custom sponsorship packages with pre, during, and post-event logo placement.
- After-Party Tickets: Separate ticket sales for official after-party events following the main festivals, featuring live music performances.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | Pay-as-you-go | Banff Craft Beer Festival Package includes admission plus $40 worth of sample tokens |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sample Tokens - $1 each, sold in blocks of 10 |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | VIP Beer Geek Ticket - Premium experience with exclusive perks |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Alberta Beer Festivals product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Alberta Beer Festivals organizes and operates large-scale craft beer, spirits, cider, mead, and RTD tasting festivals across Alberta, including the Calgary International Beerfest, Edmonton Craft Beer Festival, and Banff Craft Beer Festival, plus their after-party events and the Aroabora Music Festival. The company sells admission tickets, VIP upgrades, and sample tokens to adult consumers, and provides exhibitor/sponsorship packages to breweries, distilleries, cideries, and food vendors.
Product overview
Alberta Beer Festivals operates a portfolio of craft beer and spirits festivals across Alberta, Canada. The core offerings include three major annual festivals: Banff Craft Beer Festival (at Cave and Basin National Historic Site), Calgary International Beerfest (Canada's largest beer festival at BMO Centre), and Edmonton Craft Beer Festival (at Edmonton Expo Centre). Each festival offers VIP Beer Geek ticket upgrades, after-party events, and participation in the Golden Ticket Contest and People's Choice Awards. The company also produces the CREATE podcast and the Aroabora Music Festival. The festivals feature sample tokens ($1 each, sold in blocks of 10), beer education seminars, and food from local restaurants. Sample tokens can be pre-purchased online through Showpass.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Apres: Festival brand used for social media handles (@ApresFestivals) representing the Alberta Beer Festivals community.
- CREATE – The Podcast
Products and services
- Banff Craft Beer Festival
- Calgary International Beerfest Calgary's flagship multi-session craft beer and spirits festival held at BMO Centre, Stampede Park, marketed as Canada's largest beer festival; features general admission and VIP Beer Geek ticketing for adult attendees.
- Edmonton Craft Beer Festival Edmonton's premier craft beer, food, and spirits festival held at the Edmonton Expo Centre, featuring 150+ breweries, distilleries, cideries, meaderies, and RTDs alongside 20+ local food partners.
- Calgary Beerfest After Party Ticketed after-party following Calgary International Beerfest featuring live music performances from artists such as White Light, Raise Your State, TKO, Night Vision, and SLØFISH b2b BAMBOOZU.
- Edmonton Beerfest After Party Ticketed after-party following Edmonton Craft Beer Festival featuring live performances from Raise Your State, TKO, and Night Vision (Joluca, Sahib, Sooo Wet).
- Aroabora Music Festival A music festival held in the Canadian Rockies, part of the Alberta Beer Festivals portfolio, extending the company's live-event offerings beyond craft beer and spirits.
- CREATE – The Podcast A podcast sharing uplifting stories of creative people including entrepreneurs, artists, musicians, and community leaders; available on createpodcast.ca and YouTube, functioning as a brand and content property for Alberta Beer Festivals.
- Golden Ticket Contest Annual consumer contest that awards a C$5,000 package covering 3 ABF festivals and 2 after-parties, used as a marketing and ticket-purchase incentive.
- VIP Beer Geek Ticket Premium ticket upgrade offering a separate entrance, private VIP lounge, VIP-only washrooms, First Pour Access 30 minutes before general admission, and priority access to Brew Master seminars.
- Beerfest In A Box A shippable, virtual beer festival experience that allows consumers to participate in the festival atmosphere and tasting activities from home.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduces garbage intake by upwards of 95% through reusable collector mugs
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Alberta Beer Festivals
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Alberta Beer Festivals technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Alberta Beer Festivals partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Banff Lodging Co.coreOfficial accommodation partner for Banff Craft Beer Festival. Offers exclusive hotel packages with discounts for weekend packages, combining festival attendance with lodging savings. Packages available through Banff Lodging Co. website.
- Rocky Mountain AdaptivecoreOfficial charity partner for Banff Craft Beer Festival. Operates coat check area during festival with proceeds supporting their mission of making adventure accessible. Contact: [email protected].
- WIN HousecoreOfficial charity partner for Edmonton Craft Beer Festival. ABF is proud to support this local Edmonton charity.
- ShowpasscoreOfficial ticketing platform for all ABF events. Handles ticket sales, transfers, and resale functionality. Also manages sample token pre-purchases in $40 denominations.
- Checker CabsminorOfficial taxi partner for Calgary Beerfest. Offers 10% discount using promo code CIBF. App available on Play Store and App Store.
- Yellow Cab EdmontonminorOfficial taxi partner for Edmonton Beerfest. Offers 10% discount using promo code ECBF. App available on Play Store and App Store.
- Dedicated Designated Drivers (DDD)minorDesignated driver service partner for Edmonton Beerfest. Will get attendees and their vehicles home safely. Booth located at station 425.
- Calgary Charity PartnerscoreCharity partners for Calgary International Beerfest include: AAFS Calgary, Kids Up Front Calgary, Ability Workshop Society, MADD Calgary, Calgary Humane Society. ABF supports multiple local charities.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Alberta Beer Festivals competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Showpass: ABF's official ticketing platform partner that handles ticket sales, transfers, and sample token pre-purchases for all Alberta Beer Festivals events. Relevant as a technology vendor and infrastructure dependency rather than a competitor.
- Untappd: A social media platform for craft beverage enthusiasts to discover, rate, and log beers, used heavily by the same craft beer enthusiast demographic that attends beer festivals. Relevant as an adjacent consumer-engagement platform in the craft beverage ecosystem.
Direct peers
- Craft Beer Rising (London): A UK craft beer festival and trade event featuring 100+ breweries, sample token systems, and industry seminars. Comparable as a craft beer festival organizer operating in a regulated alcohol market with similar ticketing and sponsorship revenue streams.
- Toronto Craft Beer Festival: Toronto's largest craft beer and spirits tasting event, with sample tokens, VIP tiers, and food vendor participation. Operates the same festival-organizer business model targeting the craft beverage enthusiast consumer.
- Victoria International BeerFest: A long-running Vancouver Island craft beer and cider festival featuring dozens of breweries, sample token systems, and food vendor pairings. Closely comparable in operating model (multi-vendor tasting event with token-based consumption) and event-driven revenue structure.
- Beervana (Wellington): New Zealand's largest craft beer festival, featuring 80+ breweries, sample token systems, and food pairings. Directly comparable in operating model as a multi-vendor tasting festival organizer in a developed craft market.
- GABS (Great Australasian Beer SpecTator): A major Australia/New Zealand craft beer and food festival series featuring hundreds of breweries, sample tokens, and educational programming. Comparable as a multi-city festival portfolio operator with a strong brand-led model.
- Portland International Beer Festival: Multi-day craft beer tasting festival featuring 100+ international breweries in Portland, Oregon, with token-based sampling. Highly comparable in scale, vendor count, and event format.
- Vancouver Craft Beer Week: An annual multi-venue craft beer festival in Vancouver featuring dozens of brewery events, tastings, and industry programming. Comparable as a regional craft beer festival organizer with strong brand identity.
- Great Okanagan Beer Festival: A multi-day craft beer festival organizer in British Columbia hosting tasting events featuring breweries, cideries, and distilleries with VIP tiers and food pairings. Directly comparable as a Western Canadian regional craft beverage festival operator with similar revenue model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Alberta Beer Festivals social profiles
Digital presenceAlberta Beer Festivals financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Alberta Beer Festivals leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Alberta Beer Festivals funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Alberta Beer Festivals M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Alberta Beer Festivals
What does Alberta Beer Festivals do?
Alberta Beer Festivals organizes and operates large-scale craft beer, spirits, cider, mead, and RTD tasting festivals across Alberta, including the Calgary International Beerfest, Edmonton Craft Beer Festival, and Banff Craft Beer Festival, plus their after-party events and the Aroabora Music Festival. The company sells admission tickets, VIP upgrades, and sample tokens to adult consumers, and provides exhibitor/sponsorship packages to breweries, distilleries, cideries, and food vendors.
Is Alberta Beer Festivals a public or private company?
Alberta Beer Festivals is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Alberta Beer Festivals founded?
Alberta Beer Festivals was founded in 2002. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Alberta Beer Festivals based?
Alberta Beer Festivals is headquartered in Calgary, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Alberta Beer Festivals make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are sample Token Sales, sponsorship & Exhibitor Fees and after-Party Tickets.
Who are Alberta Beer Festivals's main competitors?
Others on record are Showpass and Untappd. Direct peers are Craft Beer Rising (London), Toronto Craft Beer Festival, Victoria International BeerFest, Beervana (Wellington), GABS (Great Australasian Beer SpecTator), Portland International Beer Festival, Vancouver Craft Beer Week and Great Okanagan Beer Festival.
Does Alberta Beer Festivals have an API?
No public API is recorded for Alberta Beer Festivals.
What industry is Alberta Beer Festivals in?
Alberta Beer Festivals's product category is Festival and Live Event Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAFAE, Food, Wine & Beverage Festivals/Expos, with a secondary code of MPAGAEAF, Food, Drink & Culinary Community Festivals (Community-Led). Its NAICS code is 711310 and its SIC code is 7900.