Beer, barbecue, music … what reminds you?

Sure BEERlend. As in previous years and this year for the 8th time held the traditional festival dedicated to beer again at the old location Kale, unlike the past several years when held in the parking lot in front of the sports center “Boris Trajkovski”. This year it could be seen a massive attendance, many drank beer, many eaten barbecue, and good music.

We enjoy the hits of RibljaCorba although performance was in not so good term during weekday after midnight however that does not prevent visitors to present in massive numbers. Recall the good old hits of StudeniNoze, joyful folk music played by EftoPupinovski, brass bands, good old JakovDrenkovski, regularly present Nokaut, we heard good rock music of the world charts, appeared young bands who had the opportunity to perform in front of a larger audience for the first time as on the main stage also on the two smaller one about electronic music, and the other (BlaBla& music Circle) traditionally reserved for other genres which promoted young artists at front of the home audience.

Although Skopsko beer was absent, we had the opportunity to taste more than 150 beers from different types of manufacturers around the world some already well-known and regularly at the festival also in bars and shelves in the markets and brands for the first time appear on Beerlend and the opportunity arises for the first time to promote at front of the Macedonian people.

For the first time we tried beverages such as beer cocktails but I think visitors were not particularly thrilled by this kind of drinks, more they enjoyed the taste of the famous beers. Sure traditionally present indispensible Leskovachka grill which, with its irresistible aroma momentarily awakens appetite. Although it was announced that the festival participants will sell their products at promotional prices, however, as in previous years and this year the prices were quite high, and for some types of beer prices were even higher than the bars, I think that if we are talking about beer festival prices should be really promotional or at least equal to the prices in the shops, rather than doubled or more. The same goes for the barbecue with prices higher than sandwich shops, taverns or restaurants.

But ok, it should not be surprising as the Skopje Pivolend and for other festivals of similar type in Macedonia, if compared with the festivals in the region adhere to the rule that prices will be promotional or accessible to everyone. However the festival went well visitors were generally satisfied, there were no major incidents, emergency care no special need to intervene to people who hangover by consuming beer, the police were present as well as the security which was at a high level, we may have noticed small and temporary technical problems with sound systems and lighting but these were swiftly resolved. So this Beerlend finished, it remains to hope that next year the festival will attract even more visitors, more popular artists and bands, famous brands of beer with really promotional prices as the festival would have reached the level of the festivals of the same and similar type in the region and perhaps even to surpass them in the near future.

Milan Gjapikj