A craft beer tasting festival featuring over fifty varieties of beer is coming to Cornwall's NAV Centre on Saturday, May 31st, 2014. The Eastern Ontario Festival of Beers, presented by Freedom Wireless, will be the first large-scale beer tasting festival in the Cornwall and the Counties region and will feature craft beers from Eastern Ontario and beyond.

Festival manager Rob Csernyik saw Cornwall as a natural fit for a beer tasting festival, given the absence of one in the marketplace as well as a convenient location within a few hours of many of Canada's favourite craft breweries.

“We're excited to offer a new festival experience in Cornwall for locals and tourists alike,” said Csernyik. “The Festival of Beers will be a great opportunity to spend an afternoon or an evening with friends sampling some of the finest craft beers in the country.”

The festival will consist of two limited-capacity sessions, the first being held in the afternoon from 12:00 PM until 4:00 PM and the second in the evening from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Festivalgoers will be able to enjoy four-ounce samples of the beers of their choosing and they can vote on their favourites for the “best of the fest” awards. There will also be food concessions, live entertainment and a general store selling souvenirs. Festivalgoers can cap off their experience at the Festival of Beers with a meal onsite at the NAV Centre's Jet Set Pub or Propeller Restaurant.

The Eastern Ontario Festival of Beers has already confirmed twelve breweries and a craft cider company. Eastern Ontario will be well-represented at the festival by Casselman's Cassel Brewery, Vankleek Hill's Beau's All Natural Brewing Company, Gananoque's Gananoque Brewing Company and Whitewater Brewing from Forester's Falls. Broadhead Brewing Company and Turtle Island Brewing Company from Ottawa will also be in attendance. Cornwall's own Rurban Brewing, a microbrewery under development will be on site exhibiting as well.

Tickets are on sale now for the reduced pre-sale price of $32.50 plus HST. Each ticket includes a $5.00 voucher for the festival's deli bar as well as $5.00 worth of sample tickets. Additional sample tickets are available on-site. Ticket quantities are limited for each session and group discounts are available for parties of twenty or more.