The crowds were out as the Prince Albert Kinsmen Club returned with their fifth annual Kinsmen Fest-of-Ale at the Ches Leach Lounge in the Art Hauser Centre on Friday.
Prince Albert Kinsmen member Shaun Pikaluk was one of the organizers. He said that the goal to help people find a product they like before summer officially arrives while also raising money for Kinsmen projects in Prince Albert.
“It’s like a tasting trade show, I guess, where people can come in and they buy tokens and they can try different samples of products from different vendors,” Pikaluk explained. “It’s a good way to find your new drink.
The event has grown in popularity, according to Pikaluk. The first year back in 2022 was in a transitional time in the COVID-19 pandemic and he said that there was still some hesitancy.
Seeing people come back in the third year since the event’s return was a sign to Pikaluk that things were back to normal.
“Ticket sales are really good, this is probably our best year so far,” he said
“People are starting to know the event. They’re starting to talk about the event. They’re starting to tell their friends and family about it. Everybody has a good time so that’s what they are coming back for.”
The vendors at the event this year were a nice mix of old and new. Pikaluk said there were 25 vendors at this year’s show, which is up from 2023.
“Last year we had 22 or 23, so we were up a few vendors this year. A few of the vendors we had from last year weren’t able to come this year but we got different vendors that come in,” Pikaluk explained.
Backroads Brewery from Wakaw, who won World’s Best Pure Neutral Vodka at the 2023 World Vodka Awards for their Alibi brand, was back.
“We have got a good number of returning vendors, which is good. We also got some brandnew ones as well, so it’s nice to see Churchill Brewing, Prairie Rose Distillery, those are some of the new ones that came on board this year,’ he added.
Backroads Brewery from Wakaw, who won World’s Best Pure Neutral Vodka at the 2023 World Vodka Awards for their Alibi brand, was back. Pikaluk said having Backroads Distillery was an excellent selling point that helped draw customers in.
Fest-Of-Ale also changed the layout with musical guest The Pretty Goods in the hallway outside the Lounge so people could take their drinks and enjoy the entertainment.
He thanked all the sponsors, including Lake Country Co-op, for supporting the event.
The Kinsmen will put all funds raised towards the diamond conversion project at Crescent Acres. Last year the funds went to a paving project to create a pickleball court at Carlton Park.
An exact fundraising total was unavailable by deadline.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
