Beer enthusiasts flock to Fredericton walking bridge for Beer on the Bridge event

Fredericton's Beer on the Bridge The old walking bridge in Fredericton will be Hopping this Saturday for the second annual Beer on the Bridge event and fundraiser.

The walking bridge in Fredericton was hopping on Saturday for the annual Beer on the Bridge fundraiser.

“Basically copying an event that’s in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which is called Wine over Water,” said event co-chair Ric Cuthbertson. “Given the nature of the craft brewing industry in the province, we decided to go with Beer on the Bridge.”

Last year’s event at Fredericton’s Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge drew 500 attendees and raised over $23,000 for area food banks.

The event is run by the Sunrise Rotary Club and this year they’re including live music and 32 craft brewers from across the province, including a variety of ciders, meads, vodka and, of course, beer.

“We’ve chosen to go rain or shine, so it’s going to be an interesting day,” said Cuthbertson.

“This year, so many more people are talking about it, and I think it will be much larger,” said Bill White, who has previously attended the event.

Beer on the Bridge is the only event slated to take place on the old railway bridge this year, except for renovations to the deck, which are scheduled to start in September.

The Picaroons Roundhouse is one of the vendors at the event on Saturday, located at the north end of the walking bridge. Chief operating officer of The Picaroons Roundhouse, Doug Williams, says preparations for the big festival mean making sure staff is ready both on and off the bridge.

“All the equipment’s being delivered, including ice, all the things like tables for the event, there’s the barricades that need to go up,” said Williams.

Williams says breweries typically go through about 150 litres of ale in any of the city beer festivals.

The 81-year-old bridge will be temporarily closed on Saturday for the event.

“The location, you cannot get a better location than this,” said Cuthbertson.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Jessica Ng