Thousands attended this year’s Paris Drinks Fest as the event returned to Two Rivers Stadium.
Tim Des Islets, organizer of the show, said there was a higher turnout, with more attendees and newer vendors.
“This was one of our best attended years, and we had more vendors than any previous year,” said Des Islets. “The weather was beautiful, which, after a difficult season with outdoor events, we were grateful for, and there was a magic in the air as soon as the gates opened on Friday.”
The festival completed its ninth year and has grown steadily, starting at Paris’s Lions Park in 2018 and re-locating to Two Rivers Stadium after the original site was damaged by flooding.
Meghan Edgar, from Paris Beer Company explained that it has been half a decade since the brewery began participating in the festival and recalled that the festival has been growing since then.
“There’s music and beer enthusiasts that come from all around, so it’s really great to have people in the community, and experiencing the community ourselves and finding new beverages,” said Edgar.
Anais Henze, another vendor for the Library Bar inside the Arlington Hotel, mentioned the ease of running the booth each year because of the relationship built over time with the Noisemaker organization.
“I think Paris Drinks Fest is very important for Paris as a whole,” said Henze. “It highlights a lot of local talent and a lot of local vendors and gives everyone an opportunity to just share a drink.”
Attendee Paul Jones visited with his wife, Sharron Jones, and said he has been coming for over four years and has noticed the festival becoming more polished every year.
“The venue’s changed, but it’s gotten better,” said Jones. “There are a lot more people involved, a lot more breweries and what not. It’s a bigger venue, the more you do it, everything gets a little bit smoother.”
The timing for this year’s festival carried a little more weight because of the County’s ongoing Downtown Dig project, which has disrupted the local businesses.
“While much of downtown Paris is affected by the Big Dig and local businesses are struggling, we hoped attendees would enjoy the amazing opportunities Paris has to offer and engage with those businesses,” said Des Islets.
Des Islets said the organization reviewed data from previous years and decided to add more vendors, including additional food and non-alcoholic options for attendees.
“They bring people together, celebrate local drinks, food, and Canadian music, and provide an opportunity for people to make lifelong memories,” said Des Islets about the importance of festivals in the community.
