Hunapocolypse 2014

I understand how events work. I manage and organize all of the BeerAdvocate fests. I know what drinking can do to some people.

I am trying to find out if any of that is true though. And again no matter how badly run an event is, it's the fault of the person who let's it break them down to violence. Someone cuts in line call them out. Beating them up though?

 

There's no excuse for violence, we can all agree on that.
There is also no excuse for using volunteers on an event that brought in 175k in ticket sales alone.
Not to mention, no excuse for not properly verifying tickets, setting up line ropes, or lying to people saying don't come early and then letting people in anyways.

CCB can't be blamed for the violence itself, but it can be blamed for creating an environment that was not properly equipped to handle a gathering of this size.

And seriously, who the fuck is the genius that let that guy with the snake in the door? Did the ticket scanners not stop to think about that one?

 

So if you have 100 people cutting in line, and people call them out and there response is "fuck you"...then what? That hasn't eliminated the problem. You call someone out, and they turn around and punch you...then what? The ONLY way this is gonna change is increased security, especially when you have upwards of 10k people! There is certainly a decent amount of security at BA events, right? You have well formed lines, and organization which help a ton. Bottom line is, I have rarely seen situations like this were people "policing themselves" actually works.

 

I showed up late (distraught by the line at 1130) and ended up not getting bottles. Breezed through the door as the door guy glanced at the QR code on my phone.

On Sunday I heard from a bartender that 8000 were in attendance.

Whatever was going on with the tickets is one thing, but what I don't understand is the number of wristbands. How were there enough to accommodate a grossly unexpected amount of people?
A lot of wristband manufacturers online advertise a 100 wristband minimum. The Gasparilla Music Fest VIP wristbands were fancy with tear-off drink tabs... I'd expect those to have a considerable minimum.

I'm still a fan. You can see it in the video and I saw it in person, when the beer ran out, Joey Redner was frazzled - this wasn't supposed to happen.

 

look it's hard to disagree. but I think you would also agree that some events will be more likely to be an environment conducive to violence than others.

- is violence more likely or less likely if the event is overcrowded?
- is violence more likely or less likely if bottle lines are organized?
- is violence more likely or less likely if professional security or police presence is there?
- is violence more likely or less likely if allocations/sales happen with sober people or drunk people?

so, yeah it comes down to people but environment matters too

 

If it's that bad then leave. Seriously if you are in danger of being hurt, if you are in danger from gun treats which I heard too, then leave. I am not saying responsibility doesn't fall on the poor organization. I have been there too when we didn't know what we were doing either. But sticking around for obvious trouble is also inviting problems if it's deescalating like what I have heard. Security is helpful yes, but organization is definitely key. But still the worst we have ever seen at our festivals was tokens not being used at the end of the night. When taps got shut off. That's when people raged. But it was only like 2 or 3 people. Mass has a strange law of 2 oz unlimited samples, an exchange for more than 4oz. Once we got rid of tokens the crowds regulated themselves. No anger, no fighting, no aggression, and they bought us out of water first time ever. We've never seen anything like this ever happen.

But still can anyone actually answer if those things happened? I heard people were threatening to bring their guns next time. What will security do if people are threatening to come packing heat? I am just trying to find out what is true.

 

Someone else here who has managed and organized large-scale events. You use volunteers, plain and simple. Lot less paperwork, overhead, reporting, and a host of other things than hiring temp workers for the day. The key is in pre-event volunteer training.

Generally, if you pay anyone, it's private security for their specific training, licensing, etc. Volunteers at the tap tents and sales, though? Pretty much standard practice at beer events... at least ones like FOBAB here in Chicago.

 

You guys charge for water at your beer events?

 

$1 buck for a bottle of water. And?

 

And I guess that is my point. If i am minding my own business, abiding by all rules put in place, why should I, as a paying customer, have to leave? That doesn't seem like it fixes the overall problem at all?

 

Somethings are out of your control though. No beer is worth that. Get your refund, complain later but stay out of danger. It sucks but if it's getting out of hand like that, there is nothing worth getting involved in a fray like that where people are being beaten up. I really feel for the ones who lost out and were following the rules. But sometimes organization alone cannot be only to blame for someones horrid behavior in starting fights, pushing, threatening, and hitting.

 

Off topic, I know, but no water on the tables for rinsing? Do you allow BYOB water?

 

No we don't. The reason we charge is that we buy our own water. We don't ask for donations or sponsorship that way. We just buy palates of water and charge a minimal $1. We do have rinsing and dump buckets. But we do not allow outside bottles in.

 

Since you guys just keep spewing garbage and speculation, here's some solid info: http://cltampa.com/potlikker/archiv...i-just-dont-want-to-deal-with-it#.Ux3-Dj9dWzk

 

That's unnecessary since I have been asking whether it happened or not. Not speculating. I am trying to find out what actually happened. And your link doesn't work.

 

It's been taken down, here is the cache version: http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...ant-to-deal-with-it+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

 

all the fuckin dumbshit idiot trendy assholes have flooded the craft beer scene. Hunapocolypse is just the eye of the shitstorm, there is also Youngerapocolypse, GABFapocolypse, Darklord Dayapocolypse, etc. etc.
I miss the good old days...

 

I think he was generalizing.

 

For the record I didn't see any violence, just people acting uncivilized. That being said it wouldn't surprise me, but I don't have any firsthand knowledge of it. I actually commented to my friends that if beer people weren't so cool by nature, it would have been a lot worse. When the doors closed, me and my friends just got out of there because the serving lines were being closed too. No reason to mill about.

 

Candice, it sounds like from what all reports as to what went on, you are misinterpreting what happened. It was NOT about the tasting only.

A BA Fest is NOT an analagous situation at all. Try this on instead:


You sell 10,000 tickets to EBF. The definition of the event is not just the tasting, it is that all 10,000 people will get to buy up to 3 bottles of the "get it here only" collaboration beer between BA and Funky Buddah! Or anyone, the who doesn't matter. The only place to buy bottles of that beer!

You tell people, the fest starts at 1, so don't bother coming early. Your loyal fans agree and obey the rules, and what do they find? All the best beers have already been tapped, so you could give them to your buddies! After already missing half the event, because you followed what the brewery told you to follow.

You also find out, people have been getting a case of this beer, not just three bottles. If I blatantly disregarded what I was told, I would have got a case too! Not only that, the other special BA and Funky Buddah collaboration beers that were limit 1 and 2 per person for your VIP club, are now also being sold by the case. To whoever wants to cut the line and get up there.

Now, it's 4PM , after getting in at 1 and waiting in a malformed line with no structure whatsoever, people cutting all over, you find out, the beer that you were PROMISED for your ticket is gone! Not only that, gone for thousands of other people as well. After a day of open sampling and drinking. Is there a small wonder people were angry?

Not the couple of people who got violent, but got angry. This was more than just a $50 event, some people spent hundreds to travel down and stay over. They are out that money.

Remind me again how this isn't the event planner's fault?