The BeerBagia Festival is ready to make its debut on the shores of the suggestive Gusana Lake, in the municipality of Gavoi, in the province of Nuoro, in the heart of Barbagia di Ollolai, in Sardinia. This new event, dedicated to Sardinian brewing excellence, will be held on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 July, offering a unique experience to all lovers of craft beers, good food (there will be street food and tasting workshops), live music and DJ sets.
The idea of creating a festival dedicated to craft beer and island gastronomy dates back to pre-Covid times. Despite the postponements caused by the pandemic, the BeerBagia cultural association has continued to work tirelessly to take care of every detail and ensure the creation of a quality event, aimed at enhancing local products and stimulating the entrepreneurial realities of the sector.
To reach Gavoi from the Italian peninsula it is possible to use the Civitavecchia – Arbatax ferries (which take nine hours in night navigation) and, once landed, continue, if by car, along the SP27 and the Strada Statale 389var of Buddusò and Correboi for about 75 kilometres; by bus, take line 305 and then line 302 at Tortolì Fra Locci.
From Nuoro it will be possible to take advantage of a shuttle bus service which takes you directly to the Festival area (the cost of the ticket is €15 return; max 20 seats, reservations on +39 329 904 0476; the shuttle connects also with Gavoi).
The first craft beer festival in Barbagia (Sardinia)
Lake Gusana, surrounded by green woods, will be the perfect setting for the BeerBagia Festival, with the tourist port as the location. This first edition aims to become a reference kermesse in the Barbagia calendar of events, offering a suggestive naturalistic context in which to taste Sardinian culinary and brewing excellence, look at and buy handicraft products, listen to live music and DJ sets, and also entertain children with entertainment dedicated to them.
The Festival is organized with the contribution of the Municipality of Gavoi, the Fondazione di Sardegna and the BIM Taloro Consortium, and with the sponsorship of Centro Cash and SidaFarm. Furthermore, it has established valuable collaborations with various local realities, such as the Sonala Musical Association of Ovodda, the Youth Consultation of Lodine, the Lakana cittadini del mondo association and the Pro loco Gavoi. The network of collaborations also extends to the Cystic Fibrosis Research Foundation – ETS, which will be the festival’s charity partner.
Sustainability, as well as beer, is a central theme. The organization undertakes to reduce the environmental impact of the event, for example by offsetting CO2 emissions with the planting of new trees in public areas and minimizing the use of disposable materials. In addition, a shuttle bus service will be established to encourage the use of public transport and promote responsible driving.
Craft breweries on display
The BeerBagia Festival will host seven craft breweries from different locations in the region. These craft beer producers will bring their creations to the shores of Lake Gusana, offering guests the opportunity to taste high quality beers and discover the secrets of brewing. Here is the list of participants:
- Centoteste Brewery (Tortoli, Ogliastra).
- Horo craft brewery (Sedilo, Oristano).
- Marduk agricultural brewery (Orosei, Nuoro).
- Mezzavia Brewery (Selargius, Cagliari).
- Nanumoru craft brewery (Sanluri, South Sardinia).
- Isola Brewery (Thiesi, Sassari).
- Trulla Brewery (Nuoro).
Live music and entertainment for all
The tourist port of Lake Gusana will be transformed into a pedestrian area animated by craft breweries, gastronomic operators, artisans and musical groups. During the afternoons of Saturday and Sunday, live music will be the protagonist thanks to different artists and bands that will perform on the main stage.
Among the artists who will perform at the festival there will be the singer and pianist Louise Marshall, the band “Bent Trees Society“, the acoustic duo “In giro per Canzoni“, the rock’n’roll duo “The Walrus” and the musical project “Tanzler Side“. In addition, there will be DJ sets by Mario Get Far Fargetta, ECletiCA and AMPM.
Various entertainment activities are dedicated to the little ones, such as those animated by the clowns of the I Barbariciridicoli company and by Giocobimbo.
Conference on the Sardinian brewing chain
The BeerBagia Festival is not only an opportunity to taste excellent craft beers, but also an opportunity to learn more about the world of the Sardinian brewing chain. A conference dedicated to this topic was also held, in which industry experts and representatives of agricultural and brewing businesses discussed the current state of the sector in Sardinia and its business potential.
The conference was held in the Council Chamber of the Municipality of Gavoi, with the participation of Luca Saba of Coldiretti – Consorzio Birra Italiana, Luca Pretti of Porto Conte Ricerche, Agricola Brass and the Marduk Agricultural Brewery. During the event, the volume “The botany of beer” by Prof. Giuseppe Caruso was also presented, a work that explores the connection between beer and plants.
Tasting workshops and local products
For gastronomy enthusiasts, there is also the possibility of participating in tasting workshops, by reservation at the web address beerbagia.it with a limited number of registration fees, which will allow you to discover the combination of craft beers and local products such as cheeses and cured meats.
1st edition program (2023)
Saturday 01 July
- 3.00 pm: opening of kegs and street food, entertainment for children;
- 3.00pm and 6.00pm, 4.30pm and 7.30pm: live music;
- 17.00: tasting workshop;
- from 21.00 live music and DJ set.
Sunday 02 July
- 10.00 am: opening of kegs and street food;
- 11.00 and 16.30: live music;
- 11.30 am: tasting workshop;
- 3.00 pm: live music;
- 4.00 pm: entertainment for children;
- from 18.00 live music and DJ set.
