BC Beer Awards & Festival 2026

Recognizing excellence in British Columbia's craft beer industry. The British Columbia Beer Awards (BCBA) is an annual celebration of excellence in craft brewing, held in New Westminster — just outside Vancouver. Hosted by the BC Craft Brewers Guild as part of the BC Craft Brewers Conference during BC Craft Beer Month, this event recognizes the best of BC's craft beer industry. At its core, BCBA is a province-wide brewery competition judged by certified beer experts across a wide range of styles. The results are revealed live during an industry-focused awards ceremony that also doubles as a lively beer festival, complete with food vendors and games. While the event is open to the public, it remains a special night for BC's brewing community — a time to connect, celebrate, and raise a glass to the outstanding talent shaping the province's craft beer scene. Scale, by the numbers. The awards launched inside Vancouver Craft Beer Week in 2010 with 188 entries in 11 categories. By 2019 the competition had grown to roughly 1,200 entries from 121 BC breweries. In 2023, judges evaluated 925 entries across 29 style categories. Camp Beer Co. took 2025 Brewery of the Year; Twin City Brewing of Port Alberni won it in 2024. Past Best in Show honours include Parallel 49 in 2022 and Julia Hanlon of Steamworks in 2016 — the first female brewer to win the top prize. Ticket pricing. Awards Ticket $60 (general public); $45 for Guild Members, Industry Partners, and Cider Canada Members. Each ticket includes a biodegradable souvenir cup, two drink tokens (each redeemable for a 355–473 ml can of beer or cider), complimentary non-alcoholic beer options, and full admission to the awards gala and the public tasting festival. Food on site. Hot Dog Combos — Veggie or Meat hot dog with a bag of chips, $10.50. Smokie with a bag of chips, $12.50. A variety of condiments, toppings and other snack options available on the floor. Skip the line and pre-purchase a food voucher with your ticket at the Swoogo link. Program timeline (Pacific Time). Doors open 5:00 PM. Gala begins 6:00 PM. Last call 6:30 PM. Last pour 6:45 PM. Awards ceremony concludes 7:00 PM. Afterparty runs until 10:00 PM. Getting there. The Anvil Centre is at 777 Columbia Street in downtown New Westminster — directly across from the New Westminster SkyTrain Station, which puts the event one 25-minute ride from downtown Vancouver, 15 minutes from Burnaby, and inside a dense cluster of New Westminster's own craft brewery scene (Steel & Oak, Another Beer, Pacific Western, Steamworks Pilsner Room). Plan a transit night. Why it matters. For BC brewers, winning a medal at the BC Beer Awards is a career-defining moment that drives distribution demand and taproom traffic for the following year. For attendees, it's the fastest way to taste the province's best beer in a single room without having to visit 100 breweries. Expect long lines at the medal-winning tables.