Tijuana International Beer Festival to feature brews from both sides of the border

SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — If you like beer, you’ll want to head to the border when Tijuana city hosts the International Beer Festival.

From June 11-12, more than 60 breweries from throughout Mexico, Baja California and Southern California will showcase their brews in the parking lot of Xolos Stadium in Tijuana.

“We have a vibrant beer culture in Baja California in Tijuana, Mexicali, Ensenada and that’s the reason for this festival, we want to be that meeting point,” said Ejival, one of the promoters of the event.

Along with beer, Ejival and others involved in the beer festival say there will music, food and other entertainment for those who attend.

“We want to give everybody that attends the event the experience of Mexico, it’s safe, let’s go,” said J.J. Feregrino, owner of Cerveza Colibre. “We’re going to have breweries from San Diego region, breweries from Central Mexico, the Baja region and most importantly we’re going to have a good time.”

This is the first year of the event, which was in the works until the coronavirus pandemic put a stop to it.

“This will be where they can see every brewery in all of Baja and other parts of Mexico,” said Ryan Brooks, owner of South Norte Beer. “It’s also a great opportunity for Mexicans, who don’t have the right credentials to cross the border, they’re going to have local great San Diego breweries in their own backyard.”

Visitors are being urged to walk across to the border and take advantage of free transportation offered just on the other side.

“As you cross the border into Mexico, we’re going to have volunteers and security guiding people, we’re going to have transportation from that point to the stadium and back,” said Feregrino. “So that’s the idea: security, the experience, making sure we get to the event, we have a good time and then we come back.”

Promoters and Mexican officials hope the event will draw visitors from the U.S. side of the border to Tijuana.

“The event’s goal is to promote the vibrant craft beer production movement that has been developing in Baja California and establish a point of connection between brewers from both sides of the border,” said Carlos González Gutiérrez, Consul General of Mexico in San Diego. “We want to show people that the Baja Region is a safe and great place to visit.”