NEWS RELEASE
TOWN OF COLLINGWOOD
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The town is pleased to announce that Collingwood’s economic development team has received the prestigious 2022 Marketing Canada Award in the events category for its 2021/22 Craft Beverage Tour campaign from the Economic Developers Association of Canada (EDAC).
The Marketing Canada Awards are extremely competitive, with submissions received from coast to coast and winners being referred to by EDAC as “the best of the best.”
In late 2020, a time when COVID was still limiting travel, and only small, regulated groups could gather, the Town of Collingwood launched an initiative that brought eight award-winning craft beverage producers together for a self-guided Craft Beverage Tour. It was a morale booster for the community providing residents and visitors alike with a fun way to get to socialize safely and support the growing craft beverage industry in Collingwood. The goal in creating Collingwood’s Craft Beverage Tour was to establish Collingwood as Ontario’s craft beverage capital — a destination for weekend visitors and to drive traffic and sales to the eight beverage producers, ensuring their survival through COVID and beyond.
“I am very pleased the town is being recognized for the Craft Beverage Tour event and proud of the efforts of council and staff who worked collaboratively with the business community to strategize ways to overcome economic challenges through the pandemic,” says Mayor Keith Hull.
In 2020 it was only a two-month event, and in 2021 it evolved into the year-round event that’s still enjoyed today, promoting four craft breweries, four distilleries, seven craft food destinations, and partnering restaurants.
“Congratulations to all our outstanding distillers and brewers — you are the reason Collingwood is fast becoming known as Ontario’s craft beverage capital. We look forward to continuing to support our relationship with the producers in this growing industry,” says Brennan Kenny, manager, economic development.
Together, the local brewers, distillers, and craft food destinations have created a magic opportunity for you to tour, tap and taste the incredibly amazing food and beverages that follow in the footsteps of Collingwood’s long history of brewing, distilling, and culinary expertise dating back to the 1800s.
Collingwood is quickly becoming Ontario’s craft beverage capital and you’re invited to take a self-guided, self-serve tour, which can be done on foot, by bike, or in a car. The different routes for each option can be found online at www.CraftBeverageCapital.ca and include stops at producers that have storefronts and restaurants serving their products.
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