Designing a Beer Festival

The UK’s craft brewing industry continues to grow. SIBA.co.uk expect 890 jobs to be created by small independent brewers in 2019.

The eclectic and diverse modern beer market rewards breweries for being different – each aiming to champion it’s own distinct character through brand design, visitor experience and product packaging.

Bringing these unique characters together for a a beer festival creates a buzz, a big choice of drink styles from indy brewers – each with their own visual appeal!

I’m designing a beer festival that will bring together many independent brewing personalities. I’ve made a checklist for some of the key challenges:

• Give it a name – test it by saying it out loud.

• Social media templates – graphic frames for wrapping announcements in.

• Big up the venue – the event space is hero, but it could change year-to year.

• Festival glass – these must be ‘nickable’.

• Festival t-shirts – would I wear it?

• Environment – it’s a party, there should be interactive elements beyond drinking (live music, photo-ops, games, social seating, food and shopping etc)

• Wrist bands – Waking up with this still on your wrist, was it a nightmare or just a dream?

• Countdown! – build anticipation for pre-bookers and opportunist visitors alike.

• Line-ups – if you’ve ever designed a gig poster, you’ll know there’s always lots of names and logos to layout!

• Brewer participation – invites, bar theming, keepsakes.

• Appeal – enticing for all people beyond bearded ale wizards and stout gandalfs.