Whitby Chamber calls beer fest cancellation a ‘postponment,’ needs more time to plan a ‘safe event’

The Whitby Chamber of Commerce is calling Wednesday’s cancellation of Whitby Beer Fest 2024 – scheduled for this weekend – a “postponement,” declaring they needed more time to plan a “perfect community event.”

Ken Regular, a long-time journalist who now runs a UPS store in Brooklin and serves as the chamber’s Corporate Secretary, said organizing a major beer festival on short notice – they took over the event in July – is about more than offering a “weekend of fun.”

“We need to create a safe event for everyone. That requires time to make sure everything is ready before you raise a glass. It would be irresponsible to do anything less,” he said in an email to INdurham. “That is why we are sad to say we are postponing this weekend’s Beer Fest. Waiting is the best way to ensure the event returns bigger, better, and safer for everyone.”

No future date was offered.

Regular thanked the festival partners and sponsors for their work in pulling the event together – “Your work is not lost.  Your efforts are the foundation that will make Beer Fest a success in the future” – and promised anyone that purchased a ticket that their money would be refunded.

The event had been run by the Downtown Whitby BIA until this year, when the organization announced in April the festival was not “family friendly” enough and didn’t bring in enough foot traffic for downtown businesses and pulled the plug.

Three months later the Whitby Chamber of Commerce said they would take it on and lined up a dozen breweries, including all five in Whitby, for a party at Celebration Square September 13-15.

Wednesday brought the news the event had been called off only days before it was scheduled to take place.

“It takes time to brew and pour the perfect pint. Just ask Whitby’s fantastic craft breweries,” Regular said. “It also takes time to plan a perfect community event.”

For any other questions on the postponement, Regular suggested people contact the chamber via email at [email protected].