When Bendigo On The Hop launched, it brought a new concept to the world of Aussie beer festivals.
Sure, there were common elements: breweries showcasing beers, including those brewed for the event; entertainment; a selection of tasty snacks dotted around the venues.
But there was a key difference, one hinted at in the word "venues". Rather than gather brewers, beers and drinkers under one roof or in a field, they used Bendigo city centre as the host venue.
Beer lovers flock to the city, grab their event tickets and glass, then wander between venues at their leisure, each bar, pub or pop-up hosting two or more brewery teams.
The concept clearly proved to be a winner as, over a decade that's included a global pandemic and lockdowns, and in which scores of festivals have come and gone, Bendigo On The Hop has remained strong, selling out early almost every time.
Now, in 2024, the unique walking festival imagined by the team at Bendigo Beer turns ten and has spawned a spin-off celebration: Bendigo Beer Week.
As for the main event, that's on track to sell out early again, bringing more than 2,000 beer lovers to the historic regional city to sample beers from 18 brewers at many of Bendigo's best venues.
Tickets cost $99pp – you just need to choose which venue you and your mates want to start from when booking.
BOOK TICKETS HERE
The Brewers
Bendigo Brewing | Bentspoke | Blackman's | Brewers Collective | Bridge Road Brewers | CoConspirators | Cornella | Fixation | Hawkers | Hargreaves Hill | Holgate | KAIJU! | King River | Mountain Culture | Mountain Goat | Paper Scissors Rock | Shedshaker | Tooborac
NB If you're reading this before August 16, you can try to get your hands on a Bendigo On The Hop 2024 ticket as we've got some up for grabs for members of our beer club. Existing members can enter the giveaway here or, if you're quick enough, there's a couple awaiting new signups here!
