The Beer & BBQ Show is a seriously fun way to spend a weekend. It falls on Father’s Day Weekend, so if you’re at a loss about what to get dad this year, a memorable day sampling delicious beer, eating tantalizing BBQ dishes, and enjoying the incredible entertainment may just be the perfect gift.
When the warm weather starts to hit, people flock to their backyards to enjoy all kinds of delicious BBQ meals, and when they do, nothing pairs better than a nice, cold beer. This event will get you prepped and excited for the season of BBQ by showcasing (and serving) all kinds of incredible beers and foods that will get you pumped to host your own BBQ party. There are plenty of great reasons to visit the show this year. If you’ve been before, you already know how great it is, but keep on reading because this year is bigger and better than ever. If you have never experienced the Beer & BBQ Show, well, here are five reasons why you’re going to want to try it out.
Quick Look
Location: Western Fair District Agriplex Address: 845 Florence Street Dates: Friday, June 14th + Saturday, June 15th Times: Friday 6:00pm-11:00pm, Saturday Afternoon 12:00pm-5:00pm Saturday Evening 6:00pm-11:00pm
*This is a 19+ only event, so get a babysitter and enjoy the Beer & BBQ Show without worrying about the little ones.
Ticket Information
Friday – Featuring Sloan General Admission Advanced: $16.00 General Admission at the Door: $20.00 Wingman Package: $60.00 (Available in Advance ONLY) *Includes 30 sample coupons ($30 value!)
Saturday Afternoon General Admission Advanced: $12.00 General Admission at the Door: $16.00 Wingman Package: $52.00 (Available in Advance ONLY) *Includes 30 sample coupons ($30 value!)
Saturday Evening – Featuring the Reklaws General Admission Advanced: $25.00 General Admission at the Door: $30.00 Wingman Package: $80.00 (Available in Advance ONLY) *Includes 30 sample coupons ($30 value!)
Sample Coupons 30 Sample Coupons: $30 (On average, drinks are 2 coupons, and food samples are 4)
Reason #1: The Food
What is the number one thing that is going to determine if a party or event is going to be worth going to? The food. Good food is king, and the Beer and BBQ Show is the king of kings for food. Whether you’re looking for something fresh and healthy or something deliciously deep fried, you’re going to find the perfect pairing for your nice, cold beer here. The show features an incredible variety of flavours and types of food. The vendors are the best around. Make sure to come hungry, because there are going to be so many great options, it’ll be hard to pick just one thing to try!
Here is what is in store for you for the food portion of the Beer and BBQ Show:
For the Sweet Tooth
Udderly Ridiculous will be serving up delicious goat milk ice cream. Cream Beanery Café has delicious brioche buns with gelato – an interesting combination, but one we’re sure you will enjoy! Chef Bill Presents will be showcasing “Drunken Jams, Jellies, and Marmalades”, with delicious options like Peach Tequila Surprise. Heavenly Dreams Ice Cream will satisfy your craving for soft serve
Pub Food
Bavarian BeerNuts will be their signature sweet/salty crunch. Fionn MacCool’s will be sure to have their famous beer bread and cheese sauce!
Food Trucks & BBQ
C’Angelina’s porchetta on a bun with salsa verde is going to be full of flavour! Field to Truck Mobile Eatery is all about healthy, local, sustainable food that is convenient and quick. Be sure to sample their pulled pork tacos and philly cheese steak! Felony Fries will be serving up delicious pulled-pork poutine. Kelsey’s Original Roadhouse will be on side with a signature BBQ dish, burgers, fries and a variety of deep-fried options. Lou Dawg’s Southern BBQ knows how to slow smoke their meat, and will be serving authentic southern. BBQ Sali’s European Style Chicken will be serving up grilled chicken and veggies in a wrap, salad, or plate and will have perogies and poutine as well! Spectra Food Services will have options for meat eaters AND veggies lovers, including:
Smoked & Packaged Meats
Carmichael Smoked Meats makes incredibly delicious jerky and smoked meats, and uses specialty meats like Kangaroo, Bison, and Venison. Rokeby Farms offers hormone-free, farm-raised meat that comes from happy animals that are cared for by the Ryan Family. Stafford Brothers Meats will dazzle with their great tasting salami, pepperettes and jerky! TruLOCAL will bring the meat to you – learn about their clean, locally sourced meat products
Other
Garlic King will be there with delicious spreads and butters. Mr. Knife Guy learn knife techniques for that perfect cut. Salt + Mustard is a small batch company that will dazzle with their infused finishing salts and artisal mustard.
Reason #2: The Drinks
The Beer and BBQ Show is bringing you insanely delicious drinks all under one roof so that you have the chance to try out beers and cocktails that you’ve never experienced before. You’ll get the chance to talk directly with the representatives to learn about where they get their ingredients, what sets them apart from competitors, and how they got started. Ask them what pairs well with their drinks, or what ones they would recommend. Or, if you’re not in the mood to learn, just grab some refreshing beverages to pair with your savoury snacks and enjoy the great entertainment that the Beer and BBQ Show is bringing this year.
The Beer
Nothing pairs better with summer than a nice cold one. As soon as the sun comes out, people flock to patios and docks with delicious cold beers in hand. It’s a social drink. It’s a drink that pairs so well with whatever you want to throw on your bbq.
While beer is always delicious on a hot summer day, local craft beer takes things to a whole other level. The Beer & BBQ Show will showcase some of the most delicious beer out there, from stouts, IPAs, and lagers to sours, ales, and pilsners.
London’s Own
London is well represented at the Beer & BBQ Show, with five of the beer vendors being our very own local craft breweries. Make sure to stop by and sample some of London’s best brews at Anderson Craft Ales, Labatt Breweries of Canada, London Brewing Co-Operative and Powerhouse Brewing Co.
Nearby
St. Thomas’ Railway City Brewing will also be represented at the event!
Ontario Craft Goodness
Ontario is full of amazing craft breweries, from Windsor and Sarnia to Vankleek Hill and Blyth, there are incredible flavours to be discovered up and down this amazing province, and the Beer & BBQ Show is bringing them all to you. The Ontario craft breweries represented at the show include: Cowbell Brewing Co., Hop City Brewing Co., Lake of Bays Brewing Co., Moosehead Breweries, Molson Coors, Singha Lager – FWM Canada, Upper Thames Brewing Company, Waterloo Brewing, Brew Windsor Microbrewery, Shiny Apple Cider, Twin Pines Orchards & Cider House and Wasaga Beach Brewing.
The Spirits
While it’s called the BEER & BBQ Show, don’t worry if you’re not a beer drinker, there are PLENTY of delicious options for you at this event. From cold brew coffee and Canadian whisky and ready-to-drink cocktails, to hard sodas and sparkling fruit drinks, you won’t be missing out on the delicious beverage side of things at this show. If you’re a fan of a gin smash, margaritas, hard cream soda, seriously sweet fruit drinks, or barely sweetened drinks that highlight the spirit, you’re going to find the perfect drink for you here.
They’ve got a great line up of spirit vendors, including Black Fly Beverage Company, Breezer, Crafty Elk, Dark Horse Estate Winery, Founder’s Originals, Junction 56, Mojitos Lounge, Mike’s Beverage Co. and SoCIAL LITE Vodka.
The Non-Alcoholic
If you’re looking to re-hydrate between samples, there will be plenty of refreshing, cold water for all, or for those die-hard coffee drinkers, your favourite caffeinated beverage at the Cream Beanery Café.
Reason #3: Beer Yoga
If you’ve never experienced Beer Yoga, then you’re missing out. It combines the relaxation and strengthening of yoga with delicious, delicious beer. This event is free for anyone attending the show, but it’s a good idea to register ahead of time so that you’ll have mat space and a beer sample to sip on. Cheryl, who is a certified yoga instructor, will take those participating through some yoga poses while they hold and taste their yummy beers.
Beer yoga has a fun and casual atmosphere. If you’ve never done yoga before, this is a great, easygoing way of getting introduced to it. If you have done yoga before, trying it while holding a beer will be a new and fun experience.
If you want to participate, the yoga times are Friday June 14th at 7PM, and Saturday June 15th at 2PM and 4PM.
Reason #4: The Music
There is very little out there that can beat the energy and atmosphere that live music creates. Having talented performers playing their songs right in front of your eyes takes an event to a whole new level. The Beer and BBQ Show has the distinct pleasure this year of having incredibly talented musicians to entertain us with their incredible energy, fantastic music, and dance-inducing music.
Friday Friday’s musical talent brings a mix of pop, rock, and indie with catchy songs that will leave the event-goers wanting to sing along and bop to the music.
The headliner for Friday is Sloan, whose incredibly talented band members all share equally in the writing, the singing, and the playing of their music. They’ve been nominated for Junos nine times and have won a Juno! They’ve had over 30 singles throughout their time making music. Their catchy anthems will get stuck in your head for days to come.
The supporting bands for Friday are Texas King and Taylor Knox. Texas King is known for their high-energy shows and getting the crowd lost in their rock music. Taylor Knox will be serving up some fresh power pop songs with a distinctive sound.
Saturday Calling all country lovers! Nothing pairs better with beer and bbq than the distinct twang and soul of country music. Saturday brings three incredible country bands that each have a unique and different sound.
The Reklaws will be headlining on Saturday. This brother/sister duo are award-winning artists that have a country-pop sound that will have your cowboy boots stomping and your jean-covered hips swangin’. It’s incredibly exciting to have this Juno nominee performing for us at the Beer and BBQ Show!
Sons of Daughters and Cory James Mitchell Band will be the supporting bands on Saturday night. Sons of Daughters is a modern country band that has silky-smooth vocal harmonies between Chrystal and Jimmy. Contrastingly, the Cory James Mitchell Band combines country blues with southern rock n’ roll in a gritty and emotion-charged sound.
Reason #5: Dueling BBQ
Competitions are fun to watch, but food competitions are even better. For those who can easily spend hours watching Food Network shows, the Beer and BBQ Show is giving you a chance to watch that kind of delicious fun live and in person.
This grilling competition will be pitting local radio show hosts against each other as they try to create and serve stacked-high burgers that are similar to those served at Paradise Cream (which is an incredible restaurant in downtown London that you really should check out if you haven’t already). Of course, as with any cooking competition, there is a twist! As with the show “Nailed It”, anyone watching this competition will probably walk away feeling better about their own grilling skills. Co-hosts will be narrating the entire duel, while we get to sit back, watch, and be entertained!
Bonus Reasons: Even More Entertainment
Those five reasons are enough incentive alone, but because the Beer & BBQ Show is giving attendees the most bang for their buck, there is plenty more fun and entertainment to be had.
Grilling Stage and Broil King Giveaway: Home Hardware and Home Hardware Building Centres are bringing you the chance to win a Regal S590 Pro Broil King Barbeque. That baby, which is valued at $1699.00, will be at the Broil King Booth, so make sure to stop by and enter the draw – no purchase necessary! The Draw will be held at 9 p.m. on Saturday June 15th, 2019. Looking to get a BBQ or learn more from our grill-masters? Check out our stage demonstrations, including four demonstrations from the Broil King team Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
20 Questions Trivia: Think you’re an expert of all things beer and BBQ? Take part in the 20 Questions Trivia show that is both interactive and engaging. Show off your skills as Steve, the trivia guru, sees who really knows their stuff. This event will be happening on Friday June 14th at 8PM, and Saturday June 15th at 1PM and 3PM.
FCSSC Games Area: Backyard games are an essential addition to any BBQ party, and the Beer and BBQ Show is no exception! There will be a whole area set up and hosted by the FCSSC team that will have a ton of fun and unique backyard games that you’re going to want to have at your next BBQ party! Enjoy a little friendly competition and see if you can reign supreme at these great, casual games.
LeafFilter Foosball Lounge: To further the fun and games, all foosball fanatics will enjoy heading to this lounge to play a rousing game or two. Face off against friends and see who has what it takes. Labatt Lounge: Of course if you need a little break from the fun and games and want a space to relax and enjoy your beer, you can head over to the Labatt Lounge and take a load off while you enjoy your cold one.
