The Cairns Craft Beer Festival is back for 2021, bigger and better, featuring the Far North’s best breweries and distilleries, including from Port Douglas.

Entry is free to the second annual festival which kicks off at Hemingway’s Brewery on the Cairns waterfront from 12:00pm on Saturday 8 May 2021.

An opportunity to get up close and personal with the region’s craft brewers and distillers, this year’s line-up includes newcomer, Sauce Brewing Co. alongside Macalisters Brewing, Coral Sea Brewing, Barrier Reef Brewing and festival host, Hemingway’s Brewery with distilleries Wolf Lane in Cairns, Mt Uncle in Walkamin and newly formed Devils Thumb in Port Douglas.

Cairns Craft Beer Festival founder and CEO of Hemingway’s Brewery, Tony Fyfe says the time is right to re-energise the craft beer scene with an event showcasing the bounty of regional, freshly made produce.

“Our inaugural event in 2019 enjoyed unprecedented success and really set the scene for future events, however, last year’s lockdown put a stop to all that,” he said.

Another year down the track and I think the community is more than ready to kick up their heels and have some fun celebrating all the great and good things this region has to offer.”

Adding to the festive atmosphere on the day will be a competition to find the best beer and cocktail that will be decided by festival-goers casting their vote which will earn automatic entry into a major prize of a trip for two to the Outer Reef with Down Under Cruise and Dive.

Headlining the live and local music bill on the day will be entertainment from the Joker Pokers and Rhyece O’Neill while a range of food stalls showcasing local produce and providores will keep the energy flowing.