TOPIC:

Gerry, do you think this price is steep considering the exposure your beer will get? This is not a leading question by the way, I'm just curious. Is the 'Exhibitor booth' exclusively for bottled beers?

I presume for micros who have a draught offering that they will have their own stand/bar and handle the taps/cash themselves? This seems to be how it works for the Franciscan Well fest, although I don't know how things work behind the scenes.

Don't really have a huge prob with the fee, I know it has great marketing potential. I say potential because I'm still have some concerns about the success of this gig. I'm very uncomfortable with the title, this immediately sets an huge expectation to the public that this will be the premier festival of beer in Ireland promoting the best ireland has to offer.

There was a case on Joe Duffy recently where someone ran a garden show over the summer calling it the Great Irish Garden Festival and it was panned as being useless by most people.

Re the booths, it's a fixed space of 3m Sq. irrespective of vendor. Power is available I believe for pumps etc.

One day, 3pm to 10pm. Some bloody festival. What happens at 10? Do the exhibitors have to stop serving?

Using a name like that is asking for trouble. It builds up expectations which, if (should that be “when”?) they are not met, will lead to a lot of bad feeling.

Has this been advertised elsewhere? Any newspaper or radio exposure?

They are obviously too small and have not publicized it well enough, to use that name.

Look at the website, no details and the event is little over a Month away. They should have had a website up months ago, with details of the location, a list of some of the beers, accommodation and travel tips, links to exhibitor's websites, etc.

I love the idea and we need more of this sort of thing, but Great Irish Beer Festival? They need some perspective.

"bigears":2s6ky56v wrote: I presume for micros who have a draught offering that they will have their own stand/bar and handle the taps/cash themselves? [/quote:2s6ky56v]

Seems they'll be taking 50% of the takings if, as Gerry said, 'They are proposing to pay only half RRP to the breweries'.

Not sure how it works in the Well.

I would be more comfortable if any profits were going to a camra style organisation as opposed to a pub, but I guess we're not there yet.

For those who don't know, the Black Box is not a pub, it's a theatre venue. The organisers presumably have to pay to rent it out. As for the name of the festival they wouldn't be the first to use a bit of hype to sell a gig. I say fair play to them for organising it, if it doesn't turn out to be a good event then criticism is valid but it's a bit harsh to have a go at them at this stage.

"noby":2ab57dlh wrote: I would be more comfortable if any profits were going to a camra style organisation as opposed to a pub, but I guess we're not there yet.[/quote:2ab57dlh]

No, not yet. We were offered a stand at this however (very generous), but my feeling is that its short notice to do anything that would do justice to it or us. I think a fair bit of beer would be required to woo joe public <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D -->

I think if we want to do something we could do worse than having a pitch at a similar event like the well established Cork one where we know we also have friends, and it's linked to a craft brewery, fitting in nicely with our ethos. But that's for another thread and probably a few pub conversations <!-- s:) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s:) -->