Belgrade announces "Beer Fest"

Belgrade announces "Beer Fest"

The largest beer festival in south-eastern Europe has been very significant for Belgrade since its inception in 2003 as a place of companionship and tolerance, City Manager Goran Vesić said.

"As the biggest event in the city aside from the Belgrade marathon, Beer Fest has really become a symbol of Belgrade. It has serious potential and we will enhance what it has to offer to attract even more foreign tourists," Vesić said.

For as many as 11 years, the festival has averaged 700,000 visitors, including many from regional countries, from elsewhere in Europe and the world, with the city cashing in around EUR 7 million every year from foreign tourists, he said.

In addition to a large selection of local and foreign beer brands, visitors will be able to enjoy excellent music performances.

Thanks to the U.S. embassy in Belgrade, the festival will be opened by Cee-Lo Green, "a global star and a five-time Grammy winner."

The first day will also feature Serbian bands Blekbox, Love Hunters, Croatia's Parni Valjak and U.S. DJ Felix Da Housecat.

Also performing will be local acts such as Garavi Sokak, Bajaga & Instruktori, Sharks, Sanja Ilic & Balkanika, a Faith No More tribute band, Orthodox Celts, Bilja Krstic & the Bistrik Orchestra, Van Gogh, YU Grupa, Darkwood Dub, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina's Plavi Orkestar and Edo Maajka, UK's Darren Emerson and Croatia's Hladno Pivo.

Beer lovers can enter the festival area free of charge, except on the opening night, for which tickets will be priced at RSD 300.