The Hopscotch Festival is a week-long series of events including the Grand Tasting Hall which features whisky, beer, spirits and food sampling in Vancouver.
This event is run by the same people who host the Vancouver Craft Beer Week event in the summer.
The Hopscotch Festival runs from November 18th to the 24th in 2024. Other events you might also be interested in include the Vancouver’s North Shore Craft Beer Week (November 1st to 15th), Cirque du Soleil (until early January) and Vancouver Christmas Market (from November 13th until December 24th). To learn about what else is happening this time of year, see our November Calendar of Events. To learn about the Hopscotch Festival, continue reading.
Hopscotch Festival of Whisky, Beer & Spirits
The Vancouver Hopscotch Festival is an annual festival that features around 20 whisky and other beverage-sampling events at different venues around town. The festival includes the massive Grand Tasting Hall which showcases hundreds of whiskies, beers and spirits from BC and around the world.
Grand Tasting Hall
The Grand Tasting Hall is the main event during the Hopscotch Festival. The event happens on the Saturday and Sunday of November 23rd and 24th, 2024, at the PNE Forum at 2901 East Hastings Street. The sessions run from 6:00 pm until 10:30 pm on both days.
About the Grand Tasting Hall
At the Hopscotch Festival’s Grand Tasting Hall, the PNE Forum is full of distillery representatives. They offer samples of Scotch, Irish, Canadian, American and other whiskies. There are various types of craft and premium beers, wines and other spirits from around the world. There is also a food exhibition and live music at the event throughout the evening.
The Grand Tasting Hall event has expanded over the past couple of decades. More than 250 products are expected at the event in 2024.
Grand Tasting Hall Cost
Ticket prices for the Grand Tasting Hall range between about $25 and $55 plus taxes and fees for one night, depending on when you purchase them and what day they’re for.
At the Grand Tasting Hall event participants buy Hopscotch Tokens in increments of five and 20 at the cost of around $1 plus tax per token. The Hopscotch Tokens are then used to purchase beverage and food samples from the various participating breweries, distilleries and food vendors.
Many of the beverage samples only cost only one or two tokens, which is very reasonable for this kind of event. Most beers and ciders cost about one token, although occasionally more. Wines are typically one or two tokens and spirits range from a couple to around nine tokens for the really fancy stuff. Food menu items range from around two to 10 tokens.
Grand Tasting Hall Participating Vendors
Typically the Grand Tasting Hall venue is divided into different sections. Categories that appear regularly at the event are as follows:
- BC Craft Pavilion – featuring dozens of local craft beers from a variety of British Columbia breweries. Expect to see Bomber Brewing, Bridge Brewing, Central City Brewers, Foamers’ Folly, Granville Island, Hearthstone, Moody Ales, Parallel 49, Powell Brewery, Spinnakers Brewpub (from Victoria), Stanley Park and Yellow Dog.
- Beers From Around The World – as the name suggests, this area features premium international beers. Expect to find brands like Pilsner Urquell from the Czech Republic, Warsteiner, Erdinger and Pfungstädter from Germany, O’Hara’s Irish Stout, and a number of other distinguished international brews.
- Whisky Corner – the main attraction at the event, this zone features over 100 whiskies including Single Malts, Blends, Whiskey (with an “e”), Whisky (without an “e”), Rye, Bourbon and the like from a wide range of countries including Scotland, Ireland, Canada, the US, and Japan. In the Whisky Corner, there’s usually Canada’s Crown Royal, Glendalough Whiskey from Ireland, Glenfarclas Whisky from Scotland and Jack Daniels from Tennessee. Other famous whisky brands like Auchentoshan, Johnny Walker, Jameson, Glenfiddich and Wild Turkey are also featured.
- The Wine Garden – prefer wine to beer, whisky and other liquors? Then this is where you’ll find an assortment of fine reds, whites and rosés.
More Grand Tasting Hall Areas
- BC Craft Spirits – BC has a thriving craft spirits industry. This section is where you’ll find some of the best including, some years, award-winning Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery (from Vernon and Kelowna), among others. (Note: Okanagan Spirits is one of BC’s best, but the distillery doesn’t always attend this event.)
- Spirits Of The Globe – includes samples most years of el Jimador (tequila), New Amsterdam Vodka, Cobees (from Korea), Grand Marnier, Nikka Whisky (from Japan) and other liquors from around the world.
- Restaurant Row – where you’ll find appetizers and other tasty treats by celebrity chefs and top Vancouver restaurants.
- The Music Lounge – there’s live music on both nights of the event. In 2024 the headline performer is Mark Woodyard.
Other Hopscotch Festival Events
In addition to the Grand Tasting Hall event at the PNE Forum, various other smaller events also take place at different venues around Vancouver during the Hopscotch Festival. Most focus on a particular brand or type of whisky.
Examples of some of the Hopscotch Festivals’ various smaller events in 2024 include the Nikka Master Class (Japanese whisky), the Tomintoul Master Class (Scottish whisky) and the Don Julio Master Class (Don Julio Tequila). All the master classes this year take place at The Refinery, located at 1115 Granville Street.
There’s also the Masters of Whisky event, which typically sells out first. During the session, guests get to taste some of the best whisky in the world while also learning about local offerings.
Tips & Advice
Below are some tips and suggestions to help you make the most of your Hopscotch Festival experience.
TIP #1: A number of events during the Hopscotch Festival sell out in advance, including the Grand Tasting Hall. Buy your tickets well in advance to avoid disappointment!
TIP #2: Go to the Grand Tasting Hall with an appetite as the event features lots of food. Pace yourself, though and don’t drink on an empty stomach!
TIP #3: Get in line for the food vendors early. There are only half a dozen or so to choose from. The most popular vendors usually sell out of menu items before the end of the night.
TIP #4: Don’t forget to plan ahead how to get home ahead of time.
TIP #5: There are bottles of whisky and other items for sale at the Grand Tasting Hall. If planning to do some Christmas shopping, consider making your purchases just before you leave. This way, you won’t risk putting your packages down somewhere and heading home without them. Conveniently, the event’s liquor store is located near the main exit.
Other Information
For further details about the Grand Tasting Hall and other related whisky events in November, see the Hopscotch Festival website.
For a list of other beer, wine and liquor venues and special events, check out the following:
For a list of other festivals and events, check out the following:
- Vancouver’s November Calendar
- Punchbowl Festival
- Festivals & Events
- Best Christmas Activities
- Shows & Entertainment
- Vancouver Christmas Concerts