Bigger isn’t always better. WhiskyFest is over ten years old, and the events have grown each year to the point where attendance exceeds 2,000 people.
Many of you remember (and think fondly of) the WhiskyFests from several years ago, when the venue was a little smaller, crowds were a little lighter, and the event was more intimate. It was easier to attend seminars, navigate from one end of the ballroom to the other, and interact with the master distillers and blenders.
You spoke. We listened. We would like to recapture some of this charm and intimacy by reducing the size of WhiskyFest. Starting with WhiskyFest Chicago on April 1st, we will be cutting back slightly on the number of tickets we sell. This will reduce crowding and also make it easier to get from one end of the ballroom to the other.
We have also reduced the WhiskyFest Chicago General Admission ticket price by $20, to $95–a very important consideration give the current state of the economy.
By reducing the number of tickets we sell, and lowering our ticket price, we anticipate that WhiskyFest Chicago will sell out early, so please do not wait too long to purchase a ticket. And don’t forget: everyone who buys a ticket to WhiskyFest Chicago gets a free one-year subscription to Malt Advocate magazine (an $18 value), a complimentary Glencairn whisky glass (a $10 value), a gourmet buffet and free seminars.
For ticket information, go to www.maltadvocate.com/docs/whiskyfest/chicago/.
Would cutting back on the non-whisky vendors help to make it a more intimate experience? I like beer, rum, etc. as much as anyone but have always wondered what those folks were doing at this event.
Greg, I like the idea of having a few, select non-whisky vendors because it helps to introduce people to products they normally would not be willing to try. We never turned down a whisky vendor to make room for a non-whisky vendor. This I can assure you.
A wise move that will only make the best whisky fair in the USA even better.
That’s the plan. Thanks for the vote of confidence.