FestivalsAn excellent source of new additions to my collection are the various Beer Festival and Collectors Fairs held throughout the year across the whole of Europe. Inevitably at these events there are a number of people selling or exchanging glasses so there is always "something new" to be found. I regularly attend a number of these fairs, but in my opinion, by far the largest and best is that held each year in June in the grounds of the world famous Żywiec Brewery in the beautiful and very friendly town of Żywiec in southern Poland. This festival is now a firm date in my diary because it attracts collectors from the whole of Europe, with its entertainment, free food, free beer, special commemorative gifts to participants and its large variety of stalls. At the Żywiec festival you can find almost anything concerning beers and breweries, e.g., glasses, labels, bar towels, beer mats, postcards, lapel pins, steins, lighters, crown caps, bottles, bottle openers, kegs, keg seals, badges, matches, jugs, calendars etc. the list is endless. The stallholders speak a variety of languages, but English and German are widely understood. If the stallholder does not speak English or German, they will quickly locate someone who does. Of course, Russian is also widely spoken at this event. To obtain an invitation to this major international event please contact Grzegorz Zwierzyna at Browar Żywiec, ul. Browar 88, PL-34 300 ŻYWIEC, Poland or email: grzegorz.zwierzyna@GrupaZywiec.pl |
Another firm date in my diary is the Spring International Exchange Meeting in the town of Martin, Slovakia, organised by Slovak Association of Brewing History (S.A.H.P.) and Porter Club, Martin. Collectors from many European countries also flock to this event as it usually attracts around 400 participants and visitors. Foreign guests are usually housed together in Penzion Cierna Pani which is the base for a large international party. A further International Exchange Meeting is held in the Autumn. Details of both of these events may be obtained from Ján Pokrievka, II. Kolonia 24, 03608 Martin, Slovak Republic. Other excellent places to find branded beer glasses are second-hand shops, rummage sales, garage sales, jumble sales and car boot sales. You can even find branded glasses occasionally advertised in local papers. Beer Festivals, Exchange Days, Collectors Fairs & ClubsBeer festivals, collectors fairs and club exchange days are held regularly throughout Europe. Your local or national collectors club should be able to inform you of the dates and venues of these events. Below are contact details of some local and national European collectors clubs. If your club is not listed here, please let me know and it will be included at the first opportunity:- |
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Slovak Association of Brewing History (S.A.H.P)
Beer Souvenir Collectors Club of Banska Bystrica
Beer Souvenir Collectors Club & Porter Club Martin
Beer Souvenir Collectors Club of Košice
Beer Souvenir Collectors Club "Danubius Club" Bratislava
Beer Souvenir Collectors Club "Klub Zàhoràk"
Beer Rarities Club "Trenčín"
Beer Souvenir Collectors Club "Gemer Rimavská Sabota"
Beer Souvenir Collectors Club "Pivety Klub Žilina"
Beer Souvenir Collectors Club "Nitran Nitra"
"Baltic Collector's Club" |
"Alutis Club", Vilnius
C.E.L.C.E. Spain
"Beer Collector's Club", Moscow, Russia
"Kuffel Klub", Poland
Sammlerclub van Bierartikelen, Lëtzeburg
Gambrinus Club, Belgium
S. Ö. F. Sweden
Ukrainian Collectors Club
Gambrinus Club, France |
| Email: jonhak2002@yahoo.co.uk | |