Hi all! Hannah here! I’m the festival director for Hoptober Freshtival and I’m giving you my list of favorite things about this year’s fest. We’ve got plenty in store for you this year so I hope you can make it!
- You can catch a shuttle to the game – basically making us Boise’s Largest Tailgate.
- Worried about missing the game? No problem at all! The Downtown Boise Association has added Hoptober Freshtival to their Bronco Shuttle Schedule for that day. The shuttle will stop right in front of the Hoptober exit every 15 minutes for 2 hours before the game (6pm-8pm). The shuttle is totally free and will even drop you off back downtown after the game. Plus you get free parking in the parking structures all day if you take the shuttle. Now that’s a smooth ride!
- It’s Boise State Parents & Family Weekend – I wasn’t kidding about the Largest Tailgate thing.
- Looking for something fun to show your parents how cool Boise is? How about a craft beer fest?!? Finally! Something that both your parents and you can get excited about…drinking beer! We’re not an official event or anything – we’re just a lot more fun than yet another awkward tailgate experience with your mom 😉
- You can try Mad Swede for the first time ever!
- The newest brewery on the block, Mad Swede will be debuting their wares for the first time EVER at Hoptober this year. Get your first crack at this new brewery and even enjoy a brew with their founder, Jerry. Just look for his mustache – you can’t miss it!
- You’re drinking for a good cause.
- Ya, you heard that right! This year Hoptober Freshtival has partnered with local nonprofit, Life’s Kitchen, an organization that helps students learn skills for with careers in the culinary field. All of the breweries participating in Hoptober have made a donation to Life’s Kitchen, making it possible for them to fund their programs in the upcoming semester. So come drink and feel good about it with all the brewers helping out Life’s Kitchen this year!
- If you ride your bike – you get extra beer!
- Come to Freshtival and lock your bike to one of our VIP bike racks (located in front of Concordia Law School) and you’ll get an extra beer ticket to use at the fest! Shout out to Boise Bike Week and BBP for the help encouraging folks to “think green” and ride to this year’s fest!
- Your local favorites will be here.
- We’ve got one of the last keg of Payette’s Oktoberfest along with plenty of other local favorites like Woodland Empire, Edge, Sockeye, and plenty others!
- Check out our “What’s on Tap” list to see what they’ll be pouring! (be wary tho – these could change tho – fresh hop beers are notoriously time-sensitive!)
- Food!!!!
- Life’s Kitchen will be serving up pretzel bites along with favorites from Archies Place, B-Town Bistro, The Rusty Dog, Wetos Locos Tacos, and Genki Takoyaki! There is something for everyone from corndogs to tacos! Make sure to check out the great grub at this year’s fest!
- You can meet our Freshtival Newbies
- We’ve got quite a few newbies at this year’s fest, including Wild Ride, Terminal Gravity, Fremont, and Backwoods just to name a few! Some of these breweries are bringing beers that have never been sold here in Boise! Come sample these super special brews so you can brag to all your friends!
- Check out the full list of breweries here!
- You’re invited to the after party!!!!
- For those of you sticking around; we’ll have a DJ spinning tunes along with tons of beer and fun for all here at Boise Brewing right after the fest! Keep the fresh hop fun going with special tappings and full pours of some of your favorite beers from the day!
- You can vote for the FIRST FRESH FEST FAN FAVE award! (say that 5 times fast!)
- Your vote actually counts here at Hoptober Freshtival! 😉 We will be handing out ballots for you to vote for your favorite beer throughout the day. At 6pm, the winning brewery will get the first ever Fan Fresh Fest Fave award and ultimate bragging rights.
- 33 breweries – 66 beers – need we say more!