Heart & Soul - What Makes ISBF..... ISBF
As I've said before, The Independent Salford Beer Festival (aka #ISBF9) is a rather niche little grassroots event.
It has grown organically, by word of mouth, both in person and over social media, via posts from attendees over the years.
1st Home - St Sebastian's Community Centre
The first ever session, on Friday 24th October 2014 had 34 visitors. The room wasn't huge, but looked sparse!
That year, we still managed to raise over £5k and kept St Sebastian’s Community Centre books in the credit column.
Next year, via word of mouth, more came. Number of beers increased by 25% (36 > 45 - all still cask), costs increased, but we still raised over £5.5k.
Objective achieved. The Centre stayed in credit.
2015 - St Sebastian's
Next year, we built again. Added a small - but rather special - #EvilKegFilth selection (ironically, in a room that functioned as an office for a Catholic priest…….I may have put a poster on the door…….)
Another Classic From Mr Heggs
More people came.
That was the year that I started to truly realise that this was more than a beer event. People I barely knew threw their arms around us. Comforted and consoled us.
This was not just an event held in a Community Centre, this was actually BECOMING a Community. Not just focused around beer. But caring. A community of like minds.
The #ISBF Family - 2016
Yes. The beer was fabulous - it always has been - but many of the people came for an annual get together. Like minds, renewing friendships. Friendships formed at this very same event.
I won't bore you with further escalations, the move to a larger venue (Hemsley House) led to more people, again mostly brought via reputation and word of mouth.
But, what I truly love about this event? Despite moving to a larger venue, we never lost that feeling. That sense of Community.
#ISBF Family 2023
I love that people come, each year, to renew friendships with people they live hundreds of miles away from. They come to Salford.
How about that? We built something. By word of mouth. Something that is loved. And is about the people, despite how good the beer is.
There is no marketing budget with this event. We don't spend what we don't need to. Our best advertisements are the people who come to Hemsley House. Or who came to St Sebastian’s….
"RH"
"TS"
"MW"
We make no grand or sweeping claims about this event. You'll never hear “Best ever…… “ type statements, or hype of any kind, from us. We’re not comfortable with that…
That's not who we are.
It’s nice though, when others say nice things….
"PG"
"PT"
"RH"
"BP"
Comments like these make my day. Makes all the stress worthwhile.
As I've said - on many occasions - the people make the event. Both the #ISBFFamily and those who come to spend their time with us, sampling lovely new beers.
Want to join them? The (current) Brewery List is contained in here. Tickets are available here. We still have some left!
Come & join us.