With 24 breweries such as Blackberry Farm Brewery and Yee-Haw Brewing, Tennessee Winter Beer Festival is relatively small, hovering around 350 participants each year. It’s a space that feels less like a festival and more like an intimate hangout of beer aficionados and vendors. That can be a great thing. You’ll get more one-on-one conversation with vendors, a variety of samplings and, best of all, short lines. Founded by craft beer aficionado Mike Adams, all proceeds from the Tennessee Winter Beer Festival support New Hope, a local advocacy center for child victims of abuse. TWBF officially got its 501(c)3 certification in 2014, and has amassed annual donation funds of up to $26,000.
Where there’s liquor, there must be food — and TWBF has you covered. Beer samplings are supplemented by vendors and catered dinner from a local food supplier. The festival is sponsored by a handful of local businesses and breweries, along with a number of people donating to their silent auction, which also serves as a fundraiser for New Hope. Sip and sell — you’re doing it for a good cause.
The Specs
- TWBF is a day-long event, running from 3pm to 8pm.
- A $75 ticket includes a glass, beer, and catered dinner. VIP tickets are not offered.
- Designated driver tickets are available for $30.
- For lodging, TWBF has partnered with the local Talley Ho Inn and Townsend Gateway Inn for the night of February 19th. These inns will also be donating 10% of their proceeds to New Hope.
- While you’re in Tennessee, why not stop by Nashville? Here’s our guide to the city.