2026 KITCHENER EVENT INFO
DRINK EXHIBITOR PORTAL
9 CITIES + 25k PEOPLE = ONE HECK OF A PARTY
SCAMMERS
Important Notice: Beware of Scam Emails
Dear Exhibitors,
We have been made aware that scammers are attempting to deceive our exhibitors by offering a fake attendee list in exchange for payment. These fraudulent emails originate from Gmail accounts and are not legitimate.
Please note that any official correspondence from our team will come from an @iheartbeer.ca email address and will only be sent by Faron, Haben, or Matt. If you receive an email from any other sender, it is not from us.
If you encounter such an email, do not respond. Instead, please mark it as spam and disregard it.
Thank you for your vigilance in helping us maintain a secure and trustworthy event.
NEW
1 - The event is now ONE day with TWO sessions
2 - Parking is no longer covered in the booth fee, the cost is $7.00 at the recommended lot but you can choose to park anywhere.
3 - Our theme for the year is "Drink Local"
4 - Payment for extra supplies and/or rentals can be done directly within the portal in 2026.
EVENT INFO
BASIC INFO
- Official Festival Name: 2026 Kitchener I❤️BEER Festival
- Theme(s): Drink Local
- Festival Code: KIT26
- Days: 1
- Festival Date(s): Saturday, March 14th, 2026
- Festival Sessions: 2
- Location: Bingemans Conference Centre
- Location Address: 425 Bingemans Centre Dr, Kitchener, ON N2B 3X7
HOURS
- Event Hours: 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM
- Unloading Hours: 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM
- Setup Hours: 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM
- Teardown Hours: 10:05 PM to 11:55 PM
TOKEN & ATTENDANCE INFO
- Token Value: $2.50 ($2.18 + $0.32 Tax)
- 2025 Venue Capacity: 5,000
- 2025 Projected Attendance: 4,000
- Festival Max Theoretical Attendance: 4,800
DRINK EXHIBITOR FEES
- 10x10 Exhibitor Space: $0 + 40% Revenue Split
EXHIBITOR FEE INCLUSIONS
- Table(s): 1
- Chair(s): 1
- Staff Passes: 2+
- Ice: 4 Bags (20+ Pounds Per Bag)
IMPORTANT
1 - If you've never attended an I Heart beer event in the past, we recommend you read all the information provided.
2 - Carts are very limited. If you have a portable cart, we recommend you bring one. This will speed up your load-in and teardown times tremendously.
3 - Ice comes with your booth fee and can be picked up at the token booth with vouchers that can be found in your welcome package.
4 - Exhibitors have access to water and drainage via a commercial kitchen behind each hall.
5 - For parking, please park on the backside of the parking lot, leaving closer spots for attendees. Passes wont be needed for this event.
7 - Power is ordered through I Heart Beer in Kitchener.
8 - There are two separate load-in areas, one for each hall. Please be aware of your booth placement so that you don't unload in the wrong area.
POWER
Power must be ordered no later than two weeks before the event. You can now order directly through the portal using the links below. Once power has been paid, we will provide the venue with your power order and they'll make sure you're setup and ready to go for the event.
✅ 15 AMP Power: LINK (2026)
✅ 20 AMP Power: LINK (2026)
✅ Ontario Tradeshow Electrical Standards: LINK (2026)
DOWNLOADS
✅ SOP (Special Occasion Permit): (Coming soon 2026)
✅ Exhibitor Guide: (Coming soon 2026)
✅ Completed festival floor plan: (Coming soon 2026)
✅ Festival insurance requirements: LINK (2026)
✅ Venue loading dock directions: LINK (2026)
✅ Parking directions from the loading dock: Park in the far back of the Venue
PROJECTIONS
*Latest Update: Feb 19th, 2025
* Our last update will be on Wednesday prior to the event.
- Cost Per Token: $2.50
- Max Number of Drink Exhibitors: 24
- Projected dollar spend per Attendee: $20.00
- Projected Attendance: 4,000 (1,100 + 1,100 + 1,800)
- Projected attendee-to-drink exhibitor ratio: 167
- Projected Average Samples per Drink exhibitor: 1,328
- Projected Average Ounces per Drink exhibitor: 6,640
RESULTS
✅ Kitchener: (2025 Coming Soon)
✅ Kitchener: LINK (2024)
HISTORY
Kitchener - Coming Soon