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Collingwood, ON [06 October 2022] – The Town is pleased to announce that Collingwood’s Economic Development Team has received the prestigious 2022 Marketing Canada Award in the Events category for its 2021/22 Craft Beverage Tour campaign from the Economic Developers Association of Canada (EDAC). The Marketing Canada Awards are extremely competitive, with submissions received from coast to coast and winners being referred to by EDAC as ‘The Best of the Best’.
In late 2020, a time when COVID was still limiting travel, and only small, regulated groups could gather, the Town of Collingwood launched an initiative that brought eight award-winning craft beverage producers together for a self-guided Craft Beverage Tour. It was a morale booster for the community providing residents and visitors alike with a fun way to get to socialize safely and support the growing craft beverage industry in Collingwood. The goal in creating Collingwood’s Craft Beverage Tour was to establish Collingwood as Ontario’s Craft beverage Capital – a destination for weekend visitors and to drive traffic and sales to the 8 beverage producers, ensuring their survival through COVID and beyond.
“I am very pleased the Town is being recognized for the Craft Beverage Tour Event and proud of the efforts of Council and staff who worked collaboratively with the business community to strategize ways to overcome economic challenges through the pandemic,” says Mayor Keith Hull.
In 2020 it was only a two-month event, and in 2021 it evolved into the year-round event that’s still enjoyed today, promoting 4 craft breweries, 4 distilleries, 7 craft food destinations, and partnering restaurants.
“Congratulations to all our outstanding distillers and brewers – you are the reason Collingwood is fast becoming known as Ontario’s Craft Beverage Capital! We look forward to continuing to support our relationship with the producers in this growing industry,” says Brennan Kenny, Manager, Economic Development.
Together, the local brewers, distillers, and craft food destinations have created a magic opportunity for you to tour, tap and taste the incredibly amazing food and beverages that follow in the footsteps of Collingwood’s long history of brewing, distilling, and culinary expertise dating back to the 1800s.
Collingwood is quickly becoming Ontario’s Craft Beverage Capital and you’re invited to take a self-guided, self-serve tour which can be done on foot, by bike, or in a car. The different routes for each option can be found online at www.CraftBeverageCapital.ca and include stops at producers that have storefronts and restaurants serving their products.
About EDAC
The Economic Developers Association of Canada (EDAC) is Canada’s national association of economic development professionals, representing every province and territory across Canada with nearly 1,000 members. The Association’s mission is to enhance the professional competence of economic development professionals and ensure placement of qualified people in the field of economic development, to advance economic development as a distinct, recognized, and self-governing profession and to contribute to Canada’s well being.
The Association recognizes that marketing a community is an integral part of the economic development profession, therefore provides The Marketing Canada Awards competition as an opportunity to exchange and review promotional and marketing material produced by municipalities across the country. This awards program is open to those organizations that undertake to promote and market Canadian provinces, territories, regions, cities, towns, and areas with a view to improving the economic well being of Canadians.
About Collingwood
The Town of Collingwood is a progressive community located in the heart of a four-season recreation area on the southern shore of Georgian Bay. The area is well known for its many natural amenities and its rich heritage. Collingwood is a destination for tourism and many business, sporting and cultural events Collingwood acts as gateway to the South Georgian Bay region, with stunning landscapes that encourage an active lifestyle, and inspire the local arts and culture community. Downtown Collingwood might just surprise you with 30 plus restaurants, 60 plus boutique shops, spas for relaxing, live music for grooving…all in the only downtown core recognized in Canada’s Registrar of Historic Places! More recently, the harbourfront area is emerging as an extension to the downtown district. Plans for expanding the amenities and events in the harbourfront area promise to make this a much more prominent tourism destination.