Guelph.Beer Bus wins tourism award

Last week, the Guelph.Beer Bus was awarded the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario’s Culinary Tourism Experience Award. This award recognizes innovative initiatives that highlight a unique culinary experience within a community.

“This award proves that Guelph is one of the premier destinations for brewery tourism,” says Damien Smith, Retail Store and Taproom Supervisor at Sleeman Breweries. “The Beer Bus brings tourists from all over Southwestern Ontario to visit our city, dine in our restaurants, and spend time in our breweries and tap rooms.”

The Guelph.Beer Bus provides a safe and accessible way for riders to explore Guelph’s five local breweries. Many breweries on the route offer pop-up food vendors, food trucks, and tap room activities including live music, DJs, photo booths, and more. The free shuttle is open to everyone, including families. Donations collected on the bus help fund a scholarship for Black and Indigenous students and students of color who attend the Niagara College brewing program. The shuttle is now in its third year and is the only shuttle of its kind in Ontario.

As Damien describes it, “It’s a great day for any beer enthusiast who wants to explore and try a wide range of beer and beer styles all while being safely shuttled around the City of Guelph.”

When the Guelph.Beer Bus first launched, it offered shuttles only during the summer beer season. Its popularity quickly skyrocketed, so organizers expanded the season offering rides from April to December to meet demand.

The Guelph.Beer bus has been featured in the Globe and Mail, and several online culinary and tourism websites.

Guelph.Beer is a partnership between Wellington Brewery, Brothers Brewing, Royal City Brewing and Fixed Gear Brewing.