As a fresh craft beer festival and conference season starts and people decide which events they will be attending in the New Year it will be interesting to see what businesses do to remain environmentally friendly in 2023. While sustainability remains a number priority of companies, it is now more important than ever before for craft beer festivals and conferences to implement practices that complement the industry’s overall focus and goals. It is no secret that consumers and event attendees are becoming more environmentally conscious and those social gatherings that account for this shift in sentiment towards sustainability will be able to not only survive but thrive in the new era of environmentally friendly business practices. All signs point to the fact that customers care about environmental issues and will support those businesses that also do the same.
If you are running a craft beer festival and conference and want to decrease your carbon footprint while increasing your attendance numbers and community goodwill there will be certain steps you will want to take to improve your social gathering. When people choose what to put on their 2023 craft beer festival calendar they will most assuredly pick the ones they know will not only be a great time but also the ones that are taking to steps to reduce their carbon footprint. If you do want to take your craft beer festival or conference to the next level you will want to pay particular attention to the below sustainability suggestions and recommendations to set yourself apart from the competition that is lagging behind popular trends and needed changes. Let’s take a look at some of the key steps that can be taken to create a standout event in sustainability and community care.
Step To Craft Beer Festival & Conference Sustainability #1: Reduce Single-Use Plastics
If you want to minimize single-use plastics at your craft beer event you can encourage brewers to only bring recyclable cans, cups, or kegs. You should also advocate for vendors to replace single-use plastic serve ware with reusable or compostable eating utensils. Think about providing festival go-ers with a glass mug to use for beer tastings and for water at refillable water stations. Promote bulk condiments at concession areas instead of single packets
and make clear that patrons do not need to bring any single-use plastics with them to the festival. Eliminating other single-use plastics like straws, wristbands, and gift bags can go a long way toward making your craft beer promotion environmentally friendly.
Step To Craft Beer Festival & Conference Sustainability #2: Ride Sharing & Transportation
If you want to reduce your festival’s carbon footprint try to offer bus shuttle services to encourage patrons to carpool together. If patrons are not taking the bus shuttle, encourage them to ride share to the festival with other friends, family, volunteers, and expected guests. Also, promote the value of patrons biking or walking to the festival and make sure there is an available bike rack for visitors. Finally do not allow vendors to use motorized vehicles to get around and have electric carts for moving heavy items across the event site.
Step To Craft Beer Festival & Conference Sustainability #3: Donate To The Community
Upon the festival or conference conclusion, try to donate all unused goods and items to local community partners, food banks, charities, and organizations that would benefit from the donations in order to limit waste.
Step To Craft Beer Festival & Conference Sustainability #4: Work With Green Breweries
Work with suppliers, vendors, food trucks, and breweries with the same sustainability goals as the event as a whole. Try to partner with people and businesses who will spread your positive message of protecting Mother Nature and our natural resources however possible.
Step To Craft Beer Festival & Conference Sustainability #5: Signage and Word of Mouth
Make sure to have signage, messaging, and materials available on event day that promote sustainability, recycling, and environmentally friendly practices. Also, have signage and volunteers educating festival goers on the right method of disposing of their waste in either garbage cans or recycling bins. Try to enforce waste management rules as best as possible and make sure all trash is cleaned up from the premises when everything is over.
Step To Craft Beer Festival & Conference Sustainability #6: Reusable Infrastructure
Make sure that volunteers collect and track all the scripts, kits, signage, displays, vehicles, and containers to allow these items to be re-used for the following years and to reduce the new production of these materials for next year’s festival. Also try to secure festival equipment, staging, transportation, and fencing that is rented so nothing is single-use and will be used for other events.
As you can see there is a lot that goes into making your event environmentally friendly but if you want attendees to put you on their craft beer festival calendar it is best to start implementing sustainable practices to best match your consumer base. Have an environmentally friendly equipment idea? Let’s talk about building the future of sustainable brewing and protecting our natural resources and planet earth from unnecessary harm.
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