Beer n' barbeque

Mayor Jim Watson proclaiming
National Capital Craft Beer Week
(photo: Andrew Rasta)

Talk about impeccable timing. It's Ontario Craft Beer Week, Saturday is National BarBeQue day, and the Ribfest is running from Thursday to Sunday. Best time for a staycation.

As if that wasn't exciting enough, Mayor Jim Watson has just announced National Capital Beer Week will run from August 10 to 18. Giddy up!

They're calling it the "first" beer festival in Ottawa, but I remember when the front lawn at City Hall was transformed into a tent city where local and not-so-local breweries offered up a steady stream of samples. It often ran in tandem with the ribfest: go at noon to get your ribs, spend the afternoon at the beer festival, go back at dinner to get more ribs (or pulled pork sammies, or chicken, or what have you), wobble your way onto the closest OC Transpo Big Red Limo and truck on home. Ah, those were good times.

Anyhoo, I'm off to Le Nordik today for Day Two of Staycation. Calling for rain and thundershowers and it's gonna be stupid-hot, but maybe that will keep the crowds away? TTFN ...