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HomeNewsCommunityLocal cidery hosts successful first festival

Local cidery hosts successful first festival

Two Blokes Cider in Seagrave brought the taste of fall to life with its inaugural City in the Country Craft Beer and Cider Festival on October 27.

The event drew visitors of all ages eager for local flavours and seasonal fun.

Located about ten-minutes north of downtown Port Perry on Simcoe Street, Two Blokes Cider was founded in 2015 by Matt and Andy Summerville. In 2023, it was acquired by the Old Flame Brewery family because of their shared values, which are “a love of community, tourism, brand experience and a mutual belief in the growth of Port Perry and the Township of Scugog,” according to the cidery’s website.

Aidan Doak, the general manager of Two Blokes, said that it all started with a team meeting. “We knew we wanted to have some sort of event to wrap up October,” he said.

Aidan Doak; LEFT; and Jenna Boucher; RIGHT; in front of Two Blokes Cider in Seagrave; Ont. They organized the cidery's first annual City in the Country Craft Beer and Cider Festival held on October 27; 2024.. Jack Conway/The Chronicle
Aidan Doak; LEFT; and Jenna Boucher; RIGHT; in front of Two Blokes Cider in Seagrave; Ont. They organized the cidery's first annual City in the Country Craft Beer and Cider Festival held on October 27; 2024. Jack Conway/The Chronicle Photo credit: Jack Conway

After brainstorming ways to close out the season with a bang, the team decided to invite local breweries to expand their offerings beyond cider. But before they could do that, they had to obtain a special license to sell beer on the property.

“We’re only licensed to sell cider,” explained Jenna Boucher, the head cider maker at Two Blokes. “A lot of the time, people come here wanting options other than cider, so it was a matter of ‘how do we get this place super busy?’” she said.

“I think it’s been the busiest day of the [season],” she said. “It’s been great.” She added that they are trying to come up with more events to draw in more business. “We’re definitely an event-driven place,” she said.

Adrian Clarke, the brand ambassador at Town Brewery in Whitby, Ont., said that it was a “no brainer” to attend the festival. “We [wanted to] support [and] we’re really good friends of Two Blokes.”

Lacey Scott, who works front-of-house at Old Flame Brewery in Port Perry, called the event a “great thing,” despite seeing slower traffic at her stand. “But I think it’s nice to let people know that this is our home as well,” she said.

Whitby resident Curtis Bradley visited the festival with his wife and young daughter. Their “fun kids’ fall bonanza,” as he described it, was a major draw. “I think it’s a great event,” he said.

“This place is awesome,” Bradley added. “We’ve been here a couple of times this summer, and they always knock it out of the park.”