SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience, the premier craft beer event in Washington, DC, sold out in only ten minutes this afternoon (pre-sale tickets sold out in two days.) SAVOR, sponsored by the Brewers Association, features 136 craft beers from 68 breweries paired with 35+ sweet and savory appetizers. The event will host 2,000 guests including brewers and volunteers.
The event has grown tremendously in only three short years. In 2008 the last tickets were sold the week of the event. In 2009, the event sold out eight weeks before the event. This year it only took 10 minutes! What do you do for an encore?
I asked the Brewers Association if they were considering expanding the event to a larger venue in 2011. Julia Herz, the Craft Beer Program Director at the Brewers Association told me they were only thinking about the 2010 event and making it the best craft beer experience it can be and will worry about 2011 later. “There has been a phenomenally encouraging response, especially considering the economy. Our goal is to deliver something you won’t see anywhere else in the country.”
Tags: SAVOR
I’ve gone the last two years, and I bought my tickets this year the day they opened the presale, but I have some MAD friends who were planning on joining us this year, but got shut out . . . but who could know it would sell out in ten minutes?
I’m surprised with this kind of response for beer related event that the Brewer’s Ball hasn’t sold out faster.
Savor is big enough. Rather than expanding it, the BA should consider holding multiple sessions over a couple days, like it did with the first Savor.
Looks like The Lagerheads and DCBeer had the same conversation with Julie yesterday! From what she described as the intent of the event, it sounded like a definite no to expanding the number of tickets available for the future. I asked about multiple sessions more than once and it didn’t sound like that was something they are considering. We’ll see though…
I spoke with Nancy Johnson, BA’s Event Director, and am doing another post for tomorrow morning. Some harder questions this time that address some of the complaints locals have had about SAVOR.
Tammy,
Great article!
I am really looking forward to reading your interview with Nancy Johnson. The amount of tickets available to first-time attendees was surprisingly low. Personally, I think an event like this should provide equal access to the beer lover “in the know” but shouldn’t shut out and discourage someone new to the world of craft beer.
PJ, DCBeer.com