What began as a collaborative effort between Chatham-Kent's four craft breweries has grown into one of the region's top summer tourism attractions.
BrewFest, the award-nominated festival, celebrates a milestone in 2026 as it heads into its fifth anniversary season.
"This fifth anniversary is a celebration of what can happen when local businesses, community organizations, sponsors, volunteers, and breweries work together toward a common goal," said the BrewFest CK organizing committee. "BrewFest CK has always been about collaboration over competition. By working together, we've been able to create experiences that not only celebrate great local beer, but also showcase everything that makes Chatham-Kent a great place to visit."
This summer, BrewFest CK will have four unique festivals. Each will be hosted by one of the region's independent breweries and will have it's own distinct atmosphere.
Kicking things off on July 11 will be SummerFest at Sons of Kent Brewing Co.
On August 8, Bayside Brewing Co. will host Eaufest.
September will see two events. Red Barn Brewing Company will hold FarmFest on September 5. A week later, on September 12, RiverFest will be held at Glasstown Brewing Company.
Attendees can look forward to exclusive beer releases, live entertainment, local food vendors, family-friendly activities, and opportunities to support local charities and community initiatives.
In addition, this year the four breweries have joined forces to create a special limited-edition collaboration beer. It will be available throughout the festival season.
Event details, brewery information, festival updates, and official merchandise can be found at BrewFest CK's new website.
For the last two years, BrewFest CK has been named a finalist for the Ontario Tourism Awards of Excellence for Best Culinary Tourism Experience. An achievement that the participating brewers believe helps strengthen tourism and generate economic benefits for businesses across the municipality.
"Being recognized provincially for two consecutive years is an incredible honour," the brewery partners said. "It reflects the hard work of everyone involved and the support we've received from our community. As we celebrate five years of BrewFest CK, we're excited to continue building something that showcases the very best of Chatham-Kent."
