With breweries around every corner, has Charlotte soured on beer festivals?

On any given Saturday, lovers of craft beer have their choice of 75+ breweries in Charlotte to pop in for a pint.

Breweries continue to open in the Queen City, including the recent news of Resident Culture’s next location, slated to open at The Market at 7th Street any minute now. Charlotte’s beer culture is thriving, right?

Yet, beer festival attendance and craft beer sales are down across the country, as breweries reduce costs and people look for healthier alternatives to beer.

Axios Denver even recently reported on “the death of the beer festival,” as major events across the nation have been canceled.

So, the question is: Are people still pouring into Charlotte beer festivals?

Yes, local beer experts say, but event organizers will have to find ways to stay relevant in a city with breweries around every corner.

“We’ve found differentiation of events is key,” Jeremy Selan, founder of Charlotte Beer Collective and a partner with Queen City Brewers Festival, told CharlotteFive recently.

Are beer fests going flat?

Flagship beers that you can also buy at Harris Teeter or Total Wine are no longer resonating with enthusiasts who attend beer festivals, Selan said. People are also looking for lighter beers — the heavy, high ABV beers such as triple IPAs and imperial stouts have lost some of their appeal as a draw for festivals.

“People want to attend and try new things,” he said. “If you can offer a new release you’re not pouring anywhere else, that’s what’s bringing people in.”

Festivals partnering with a cause or charity can also increase attendance, adding a feel-good element to drinking beer.

Queen City Brewers Festival, held at the Grady Cole Center on Super Bowl Sunday, was a sell-out for 2023. The festival raised money for Project Life Movement, a Charlotte-based non-profit organization that matches healthy stem cell and bone marrow donors to patients in need.

Selan also pointed to the LoSo Pup Crawl last August, with breweries creating dog-themed beers to raise funds for Charlotte Animal Care and Control. “BYOP,” or Bring Your Own Puppy, was also encouraged, bringing out the dog lovers for a day of beer tasting.

“We really created an open and inviting environment,” Selan said.

At least one big brew fest is already on the calendar for 2024. Queen City Brewers Fest will return at a new venue and an eco-friendly theme. Tickets go on sale Nov. 1, and Selan hopes to be able to announce more details soon.

Fans have festival fatigue

Rick Benfield serves on the board of directors for Charlotte Independent Brewers Association and NC Brewers Guild, and is co-owner and vice president of sales and marketing for Blue Blaze Brewing Co.

Craft beer enthusiasts no longer have to attend festivals to find cutting-edge new beers, Benfield said. Also, festival fatigue is real. With a beer fest every weekend, that cuts into the discretionary money people have to spend.

Targeted festivals, like Resident Culture’s Lagerfest in 2019, or the NC Brewers and Music Festival, which featured nine bands and 40+ breweries in May, should continue to do well in Charlotte, he said. Another favorite of Benfield’s is the NC Rare and Vintage Beer Tasting in Durham, featuring beers you can’t usually find in North Carolina.

“As a patron and from a brewery standpoint, we’ve seen a decline in interest in festivals themselves,” said Benfield, who worked with Charlotte Oktoberfest for 10 years, directing it for two.

“With the onslaught of all the breweries, people can pretty much find any beer they want. People have too many options. Ticket sales are down and breweries are not participating because festivals aren’t usually a money maker for them. The smaller, targeted festivals — those are the ones that are going to win.”

Charlotte craft beer still thriving

So, is craft beer still king in the QC? The scene remains vibrant, but expect changes in the next three to five years.

South End is saturated with breweries, and NoDa and Plaza Midwood are close, Benfield said.

But there’s still plenty of room for growth in south and east Charlotte, Ballantyne and West End.

“There are still people going to breweries,” he said. “I do feel people are getting a little tired. Rather than going out on a Saturday and trying several new breweries, they’re sticking closer to their neighborhood brewery a little bit more.”

[Opinion: Why there’s always room for another brewery to open in Charlotte.]

There will be fewer brewery openings, and some will close in the next few years, Selan predicts. But in general, craft beer will continue to hop, especially for established breweries.

“The breweries that have found a following will continue to be successful,” Selan said.