(Image Credit: CFJC Today)
BREWLOOPS FESTIVAL

Raising glasses from McArthur Island for fifth annual BrewLoops festival

Sep 27, 2019 | 4:45 PM

KAMLOOPS — BrewLoops festival returns to Kamloops tonight for a weekend of craft beer and ciders for a good cause.

The fifth edition of the festival offers more than 30 breweries, food trucks, and entertainment from McArthur Island this year.

Each BrewLoops-branded event the non-profit hosts gives the proceeds back into the community. Organizer Tyson Andrykew says they’re hoping to raise around $50,000, and the money will go towards Rotary and Western Canada Theatre.

“Within the last three years, we’ve raised over $100,000 total. So it’s been pretty considerable.”

BrewLoops festival is the largest of the several events held by the non-profit. This summer, BrewLoops was at several of BCLC’s Music in the Park shows to provide beer garden services, co-hosted Downtown Back Alley Block Parties, and worked alongside the national FireFit competition earlier in the spring.

Andrykew says the success of BrewLoops events has drawn attention from various organizations looking to raise money.

“So there’s other non-profits that want to bring us in to fundraise. And that’s kind of what the larger vision of what we want to do is- help non-profits fundraise for their own goals and initiatives,” explains Andrykew,.”Ultimately we ask that they help to pull off the events, and be there to help us with the grunt-work day of.”

Traffic will be heavier than usual in the McArthur Island area due to the festival, and vehicles looking to drive along the Island Parkway loop will be redirected elsewhere to park.

“There’s still tickets available for both Friday and Saturday night,” adds Andrykew. “Family-friendly time is tomorrow (Sept. 28) from 11:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m. That is free entry, so bring the kids, bring the strollers, and come on down and enjoy a beer.”