A large, flannel-wearing crowd lined up for the 1st Annual Logger Festival this past Saturday (Feb. 8) in Lakeview Park to celebrate the folklore and culture of lumberjacks, lagers, flapjacks and more. And the 1st Annual Logger Festival delivered ecstatic fun. Logger Festival is the latest offering from Brew Ha Ha Productions, a renowned organizer of craft beer-centric events. Brew Ha Ha Productions brings a long history of creating unique, beer-centric event experiences that are theme oriented.
“Amateur lumberjacks” lined up early for entry into the 1st Annual Logger Festival.
.A sunny, beautiful 70-degree day provided the perfect weather and a stunning view of Irvine Lake (located in Santiago Canyon) and “amateur lumberjacks” reveled in unlimited tastes of beer from some of the nation’s top breweries.
Irvine Lake provided a stunning view for festival attendees.
Festival attendees were treated to unlimited tastings from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with concessions open for purchase until 5 p.m. The event primarily featured lager beers, but also offered other beer styles, ciders, hard seltzers, and hard kombucha. About 75 different beers and other hard beverages were served.
The 1st Annual Logger Festival celebrated loggers, lagers, breakfast and music.
Artifex Brewing Company provided one of my favorite beers at Logger Festival. Their award-winning Artifexican Mexican Lager pours a straw, clear pale yellow and produces a clean, crisp and crushable brew that was perfect for the festival’s sunny, warm weather.
Brewery X provided another one of my favorite event beers. Their Stein Me Up traditional German Helles lager pours a clear straw color with beautiful white foam. The beer is clean, smooth, malty and crisp.
While sipping on lagers and indulging in all-day breakfast and other foods, attendees cheered professional lumberjacks from the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show. They competed in axe throwing, two person cross-cut sawing, chainsaw vs cross-cut races, underhand chopping, chainsaw carving, log rolling and more.
Festival attendees could also test their own lumberjack skills with axe throwing, horseshoe toss, stein holding competitions, and more. And no lumberjack celebration would be complete without a beard competition.
Axe throwing was one of several competitions involving world-class lumberjacks.
The 1st Annual Logger Festival treated guests to live performances from two excellent bands. MOANS started things off. This modern funk band (with five vocalists, a Talk Box, and snazzy guitar solos) delivered a soaring funkalicious vibe to start the day. And Cash Up Front delivered a riveting Johnny Cash Tribute performance.
MOANS started the festival with an infectious, funkalicious vibe.
Overall, the 1st Annual Logger Festival provided a unique and fun experience that transcended being just another beer festival. Who ever knew that beards, brews and flannel could be so much fun? Brew Ha Ha Productions did!