Modifications planned for COVID safety
The Southeast Alaska State Fair board decided earlier this month to bring back Beerfest in May, but with some modifications after a two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic.
The event, which drew 1,700 attendees prior to 2020, was canceled the last two years due to COVID concerns and the U.S.-Canada border closure. But with the easing of travel restrictions last fall, financial pressures on the Fair organization and a recognition of the importance of social gatherings, the Fair’s board voted unanimously to hold the event this year.
“We did feel like there were ways we could run the normal outdoor Beerfest event and try to make that reasonably safe,” said Fair board president Spencer Douthit. “Also a big part of Beerfest are the visiting Yukoners. So one thing that’s different now (from the last two years)…is the border being open.”
While much of Beerfest – known formally as the Great Alaska Craft Beer and Home Brew Festival — is outside, the board voted not to have the traditional gourmet dinner on the Friday night before the event because there wouldn’t be a good way to maintain distance and conduct the indoor meal safely, Douthit said. The dinner has drawn up to 280 people in past years, according to the Fair’s executive director Kari Johnson.
The Fair is planning other modifications for the festival but has yet to finalize details. Some criticized the organization last summer for holding an event that likely contributed to a COVID outbreak in Haines.
Douthit said part of the plan for Beerfest is to incorporate a vaccination or negative-testing protocol. Johnson said that, depending on the number of brewers who sign up, attendance might be limited to facilitate spreading out across the fairgrounds.
“We know that some people will not feel comfortable in a setting like (at Beerfest), and we absolutely support people who are not willing or able to take risks. But there are people who feel comfortable making those decisions and taking those risks,” Douthit said. “Partly as an organization that’s kind of our existence: to provide community events. Partly that’s a financial thing for us to continue to exist. Partly that’s our mission statement. Our motto is ‘Where community happens.’”
Haines Brewing Co. co-owner Paul Wheeler has attended every Beerfest since the event was established in 1992. Wheeler participated in the fest’s homebrewing competition for several years before deciding with his wife Jeanne Kitayama to open Haines’ only brewery in 1999. “I’m definitely excited for (this year’s festival),” Wheeler said.
Another loyal Beerfest-goer, Bobby Wilken, owner of HooDoo Brewing Co. in Fairbanks, also said he’s looking forward to being back this May. Wilken has traveled to Haines for the Beerfest nearly every year since he started his business in 2012.
“I always tell people it’s my favorite beer festival that I’ve ever been to, and I’ve been to a lot of them,” Wilken said. In particular, he said he appreciates the unique setting in the fairgrounds and the mix of Alaskan and Canadian attendees.
Usually between 65% and 70% of attendees come from Canada, Johnson said.
Bob Baxter, co-owner of Yukon Brewing in Whitehorse, said he’s thrilled to return to Haines for this year’s festival. “It took us about five minutes to fill the form out and say, yes we’re coming,” Baxter said.
Last year, when the border was closed, Baxter proposed meeting up at Pleasant Camp and having a party there. He called Beerfest “the icing on the cake” to the brewery’s summer kickoff. “For us, we don’t sell beer in Alaska, so in a way it doesn’t make sense for us to go…but it’s too much fun to miss and too much opportunity to hear feedback from people who have a clue.”
Some people still haven’t been reimbursed for 2020 Beerfest tickets that were purchased before the Fair announced that the event would be canceled. Douthit said the Fair’s former vendor, Brown Paper Tickets, is “working towards reimbursing everyone” but has struggled to communicate with the Fair despite more-than-monthly inquiries about the status of refunds.
The vendor owes millions of dollars to ticket holders and events coordinators, according to a lawsuit filed last year in Washington State. Douthit said the Fair hasn’t gotten a timeline from the vendor about when it will refund customers.
“We are super sorry to people who still have outstanding refunds. It’s something we are still monitoring and still trying to keep Brown Paper Tickets accountable for,” Douthit said, adding that the Fair is using a different vendor this year.
Beerfest is scheduled for May 28. Tickets will be for sale starting March 1.
In addition to Beerfest, the Fair plans to host its usual slate of community events, including Winterfest, Spring Fling and the Fair.
Winterfest is scheduled for Feb. 26 (with the Miles Klehini Classic planned for the following day). Spring Fling is slated for April 30, the Fishermen’s BBQ for June 18 and the Fair for July 28-31.