Sint-Niklaas (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The beer festival ‘Hopmarkt’ was organised for the first time on the Sint-Nicolaasplein in Sint-Niklaas. You can experience beer tasting while listening to live music under sunny spring conditions throughout the entire weekend.
The inaugural edition of the beer festival ‘Hopmarkt’ took place on Sint-Nicolaasplein in Sint-Niklaas, drawing large crowds under sunny spring weather. The festival was organised by 15 catering businesses from the local area, which brought a total of 60 beers for tasting along with live music and cycling-focused ambience, with a big-screen Tour of Flanders broadcast on Sunday.
During the festival, visitors could freely use tasting glasses without deposit requirements due to the special approach implemented by event organisers.
“Sint-Niklaas really needed such an event, and you can tell that right away from the great turnout,”
says Kurt from Sint-Niklaas.
“This square was on its last legs, but if everyone works together like today, a lot is possible.”
“That way, you only pay 2.5 euros per beer at every stall.”
“The concept with the tasting glasses works perfectly,”
says Kurt.
“This way, you can enjoy different beers without ending up completely under the table. Our discovery today? We really liked the Cuvée de Briqville from the Van Goethem brewery in Steendorp.”
“We also want to organize Hopmarkt again next year during the weekend of Flanders’ Finest, and since the start will be in Antwerp, the riders will also pass us by,”
Said co-organiser Steve Vonck of café ‘t Hemelrijk.
The organisation chose not to ask for a deposit for the small tasting glasses.
There are also live performances during the beer festival. Although that caused some discussion, because a mass celebration started in the St. Nicholas Church next door.
“The pastor came to ask if we could turn off the music, but since our audience was slightly larger, we decided not to do that,”
Says Steve Vonck.
What is the background behind Sint-Niklaas’s new beer festival ‘Hopmarkt’?
Belgium’s East Flanders region includes Sint-Niklaas as its principal city, where traditional beer brewing is a significant cultural tradition throughout the country. Around 1,500 distinct beer products come from more than 400 operating breweries in Belgium. Prior to the launch of Hopmarkt Sint-Niklaas, no substantial beer-themed celebration had been held within its borders. The event started with the initiative of 15 local catering businesses to refresh foot traffic at Sint-Nicolaasplein, which has experienced decreased pedestrian activity in recent times.
The beer tourism market in Belgium brings substantial financial gains through beer celebrations, which appeal to both domestic and international visitors alike. Hopmarkt decided to participate in the Tour of Flanders competition due to its high annual spectatorship, exceeding 1 million visitors.
The organisers used a live race broadcast to attract more people to the event. The introduction of the no-deposit glass system at the festival departed from conventional beer festival practices based on the evaluation of similar events in Antwerp and Ghent.
The Spring weather during the festival weekend brought success to the event due to Belgium’s ongoing temperature rise in March. The festival caused minimal logistical problems, which included noise complaints near a neighbouring church, though the majority of attendees had positive experiences, thus establishing a framework for future editions.
The expansion of Belgium’s beer tourism market presents an opportunity for Hopmarkt to establish itself as a major yearly economic and cultural attraction of Sint-Niklaas.
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