Search

HOPPED & CONFUSED FESTIVAL 2017

 

 

Mill St. Brewery and Dine Alone Records present the 2nd annual Hopped & Confused Festival this coming weekend (Fri., Aug. 25 & Sat., Aug. 26) that will once again celebrate 2 days of great music, beer, and food, located at Ottawa’s Mill St. Brewery near the banks of the Ottawa River. The outdoor event is a well laid out space that stretches out across the front of the property’s beautiful grounds and parking lot area, with plenty of room in front of the stage, tree lines for shading, and seated/picnic table areas scattered throughout. Last year, Hopped & Confused 2016 enjoyed a highly successful turnout for its inaugural event, despite the rain on the second day, which didn’t seem to deter a healthy attendance. This year brings in 8 great Canadian bands, the launch of a brand new H&C brew, and the new simplified yet tasty menu items created for the event. Marketing Manager for Mill St. Brewery, Alex Lanthier, talks about what’s new this year:

 

“This year we decided to offer a VIP package Mill St. Brewery tour, followed by a beer tasting with the artists who are performing, but all 24 tickets quickly sold out, as did our specially priced 2-night event tickets. There are still regular tickets available for each night at $35 in advance or $40 at the gate. It’s an opportunity to discover a new band, taste a new beer, try some great food, and we’ve tried to keep it as affordable as we can. This year’s line-up is all Canadian, including 2 bands from Ottawa – Hollerado and New Swears, so we have some local flair as well!”

 

Last year’s Hopped & Confused event featured the launch of their new IPA brew, exclusive to the event and brewed on-site. The tradition continues this year with Mill St. Brewery’s new Milkshake Ale. More on that, and a few of the new food offerings prepared on-site that will be available:

 

“We are launching a new Milkshake Ale, brewed at our Ottawa brewery, uniquely available at this event. One dollar from each pint sold will go to Friends of We Care, an organization that helps send disabled children to summer camps across Canada. We use lactose in the brewing process which gives quite a creamy result…it’s hoppy and easy to drink. It’s comparable to a typical cream ale but pushed a bit further on the creamy side. It’s become part of our DNA of our brewery to come out with something new and fun for people to try. We will have 15 beers on tap total, 6 of which will be available outside on the grounds. We’ll have a solid offering of canned beer as well. In terms of food, we mixed it up this year where we’ll have a pulled meat station (pulled pork, pulled beef on a bun). There will also be a poutine station selling varieties of poutine with different toppings. Another station will be selling giant turkey legs. In our learning from last year, we found people want food that is quick and easy to eat, so we’ve simplified the menu, but given enough variety so one can customize their meal. The Mill St. Brewery restaurant and patio will also be open for business with a reduced menu, but only to event ticket holders.”

 

Toronto-based Dine Alone Records, who began their label in 2005, has rapidly grown to include both Canadian and international bands on their roster. Their recent partnership with Buzz Records earlier this year has broadened the roster even further, and stepped up their brimming calendar of events. Featured bands at this year’s H&C event offer something for everyone from straight out rockers to a wide array of talented alternative off-shoots. In order of opening band to headlining band, Friday night’s line-up includes: Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs (Toronto), Said The Whale (Vancouver), Yukon Blonde (Vancouver), The Trews (Toronto). Saturday night’s line-up includes: New Swears (Ottawa), Dilly Dally (Toronto), Hollerado (Ottawa), Tokyo Police Club (Newmarket). Due to limited space, lawn chairs will not be permitted on the grounds. I would also suggest rain ponchos instead of umbrellas to ensure good sightlines.

 

Since there is no parking on the grounds, there are a few suggested ways to get to the event besides a cab, Uber, or arranging a ride. From Lebreton Station OC Transpo stop, one can walk (10 minutes), or take a #8 one stop to Booth at Wellington followed by a short 2-3 minute walk from the Canadian War Museum to the venue. There is also a large underground parking area at the museum, and for bike riders, there are plenty of bike trails leading to the venue, along with bike racks available on the brewery grounds. For more info including tickets, directions, and exact showtimes, please visit social media pages,  https://www.facebook.com/millstreetbrewery or

https://www.facebook.com/dinealonerecords.

 

 

 

 

 

Related posts