The festival is bustling and energetic, bringing together whisky appreciators from across the country and producers from all around the world. Repeat visitors and newcomers gather to share their love for the liquid gold, reconnect with past friends, make new acquaintances over meals, and restock their collections at the on-premise shop.

New Brunswick Spirits Festival 2026 dates: November 17-21. Ticket prices are from 2025, listed for quick reference.

This article might contain affiliate links. Read the disclaimer about affiliate links & PR gifting here.
This trip was hosted by Tourism Fredericton who did not review or approve this story.
All images by Kateryna Topol.

The Irish Whiskey Lunch by HYDE Irish Distillers, New Brunswick Spirits Festival.

What is New Brunswick Spirits Festival?

The festival was launched in 1998 by a Fredericton local, Frank Scott, who at the time was also the owner/operator of the Lunar Rogue, one of Canada’s best whisky pubs. Scott wanted to bring the world of whisky to his home province while also stimulating local tourism during the slowest travel month of the year. 

Hosted in partnership with the New Brunswick Liquor Board (ANBL), the New Brunswick Spirits Festival (NB Spirits Festival) attracts renowned global brand ambassadors and welcomes promising new producers annually. The festival event lineup includes curated dinners, masterclasses, and the famous Friday showcase, where you can taste and learn your way through a room full of whisky producers.

Scott’s appreciation and knowledge of the spirit are recognised by the whisky community, so much so that in 2016, he was invited to Blair Castle in the Scottish Highlands to be inducted as a “Keeper of the Quaich” (quake), the most prestigious appointment achievable in the Scotch whisky industry. In early 2026, the festival was also chosen as the Best Whisky Festival in Canada by The Whisky Explorers People’s Choice and Community Awards.

Whisky is always the hero spirit, but some gins, tequilas, and rums do also feature.

Where is NB Spirits Festival held?

The events are hosted at the Delta Fredericton by Marriott and completely take over the property throughout the week. Between masterclasses and lunches, festival attendees gather in the hotel lobby for snacks and cheerful chatter with cold pints, craft cocktails, and off course, more whisky. The rooms at the Delta sell out well in advance, so if you plan to attend, it is strongly recommended to book those right away.

The hotel is located a short drive or half-hour walk from Downtown Fredericton. At the hotel, guests have access to a fitness centre, pool, hot tub, and a barrel sauna, for a dash of wellness between the drams.

NB Spirits Festival founder and chairman Frank Scott at the Closed Distilleries Master Class.

NB Spirits Festival events & Tickets

Festivalgoers can attend as many or as few events as they like. All events are individually ticketed and can occupy a full-day itinerary. Happenings are listed on the festival’s events page and sold through Eventbrite.  

Tickets go on sale in autumn (October in 2025), with perennial favourites selling out quickly. You will want to make sure to set some time aside on the ticket release date to build and secure your wishlist. Each ticket also includes taxi fare home if you opt to stay outside of the hotel. 

As and added bonus, a pop-up Alcool NB Liquor Store is built in one of the hotel’s conference rooms. Open daily, the shop is where collectors can find (nearly) every featured whisky at the festival. Naturally, many of the popular (read: allocated) whiskies sell out quickly and can even prompt early morning lineups through the hotel lobby.

Tip: Keep an eye out for updates on the festival Facebook page or Instagram.

Curated meals

The festival kicks off with two special dinners. Last year it was The Rum Dinner, hosted by Chairman’s Reserve Rum, and The Whisky Dinner, hosted by Aberfeldy Whisky. These events have a business casual dress code, include a few presentations, and always have assigned seating – a great opportunity to meet new people. The festival closes with The World Whiskies Dinner, last year hosted by Suntory Global Spirits. All dinners begin with a cocktail reception. 

The NB Spirits Festival team also hosts a series of daily lunches. Like the dinners, these are three-course seated meals with a guided spirits pairing. For 2025, attendees had the option to enjoy a guided lunch with Hyde Irish Whisky, Douglas Laing, Hayman’s Gin, and Gin Lunch, hosted by whisky educator Johanne McInnis.

All meals are thoughtfully planned and prepared by the Delta Hotel’s executive Chef Mindy Trail, and Martine Nouet, one of the world’s leading whisky writers and a specialist on whisky and food pairing. Nouet, a long-standing collaborator of the festival, had taken a step back from working on the festival’s complex culinary program but was ushered out of retirement for 2025 by Frank Scott.

One of the most unique meals, if only for its timing, is the Breakfast & Drams. As the name suggests, this is a whisky breakfast kicking off at 8:30 AM. The 2025 addition was hosted by The Spots Irish Whiskey, perfectly pairing Jameson’s Triple Cask with a yoghurt parfait and Green Spot Irish Whisky with a spiced French toast.

Dinner: $110+, lunch tickets: $95, breakfast: $65 CAD.

Breakfast & Drams with The Spots Irish Whiskey.

Masterclasses

NB Spirits Festival Thursday is when all masterclasses take place. Starting at 3:30 PM and ending at 10 PM, attendees roam room to room learning about world whisky from global ambassadors and distillers. Between sessions, the lounge is absolutely buzzing with people sharing plans and favourites over drinks. Nearly forty masterclasses happen this day, spotlighting renowned producers and up-and-coming distilleries from around the world.

A small sample of the 2025 masterclass lineup includes: House of Suntory (presented by Tristan Davis), Bruichladdich, (presented by Johanne McInnis), Dewars Family Vertical (Rhiann Ferguson), Sleeman Family’s Spring Mill Distillery (presented by John and Cooper Sleeman), Rare Finds from Scotland’s Legendary Distilleries (presented by Simon Hooper & Ben Lemieux), Bowmore (presented by James Neil), Glenfiddich and Balvenie (presented by Jamie Johnson), Arbikie (presented by Nicolas Stirling), and many more.

See last year’s events list for a more detailed sample of masterclasses and distilleries taking part in the festival.

Related articles: John Sleeman & Sons: The family that wouldn’t stay erased

Specialty tastings 

Whisky & Art: A Feast for the Senses is an annual favourite and often the first event to sell out. For this one-of-a-kind tasting, patrons are shuttled to the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, where Martine Nouet works closely with John Leroux, the Manager of Collections and Exhibitions, on pairing whisky to art. Martine’s whisky stories are followed by John’s incredible insight into each chosen piece of art have the room in a quiet awe, chuckling and gasping from time to time.

This concept might be hard to imagine, but the two of them really make it work: “This painting is by Anonymous, so your first whisky is also anonymous, the bottle isn’t displayed here with the other four. It is lively, fresh, and sort of quiet, if there is such a thing as a quiet whisky, like the serene women in this painting,” Martine explained the pairing, “and the two creepy guys in the back,” John chimed in, causing a wave of laughter across the room. The “anonymous” whisky was later revealed as AnCnoc 12 Year Old. $75 CAD.

Scotland’s singer and songwriter Robin Laing (“The Whisky Bard”) made multiple appearances throughout the festival, including an hour-long tasting titled Songs, Stories and Drams. This afternoon’s tasting included six whiskies accompanied by Laing’s whisky-themed and often comedic folksongs (Old Pulteney 18, Clynelish 18, Bruichladdich Black Art, Talisker Distillers Edition, Glenmorangie The Nectar 16, and Bowmore 18). $40 CAD.

Other speciality tasting event examples include:

• The coveted Springbank Vertical Tasting, showcasing hard-to-find Single Malt Scotches ($125)
• The Chairman’s Dram with Frank Scott, which includes carefully selected bottles from Frank Scott’s private collection, including discontinued and hard-to-find drams ($140)
• Closed Distilleries, which spotlight a mix of bottles from distilleries that no longer operate, this is a once-in-a-lifetime type of session and comes with stories about what makes these expressions still so valuable ($150)
• The Collectors, where a handful of bottles are donated by friendly whisky collectors, offering participants a taste of often hard-to-find expressions only available through private tastings ($75)

Note that these events change year-to-year, depending on the participating spirits partners.

The festival showcase 

This is the “crown jewel” of the New Brunswick Spirits Festival. Producers line up their selection of offerings across long rows of tables, wrapping around the conference room. Each table is fronted by a brand ambassador or a distiller, guiding festival guests through production processes, history, and tasting notes. $125 CAD

The serious collectors choose to enter the showroom early with the NB Spirits Festival VIP Showcase Access ticket ($175 CAD), which gives them an hour head start on the tasting lineup. If time permits, it is recommended to do a full walk around before tasting to get a good sense of the available spirits and planning a route that avoids palate fatigue.

Related article: On the makings of a distillery with Katherine Lanteigne from the New Brunswick Distillery

Getting to & Around Fredrecton

Direct flights to Fredericton are available from across Canada. Fredericton International Airport (YFC) is only a 20 minute drive from the host hotel. Given the nature of the festival, you will not need a car and can easily get around with taxis or rideshare (Kari and Uride). NB Spirits Festival also operates a Safe Ride program, so make sure to grab your taxi chit on the way out. The event host will typically remind attendees where and when one is available.

Explore Fredericton beyond the festival with our Fredericton city guide.

Find accomodations in Fredericton

The post Everything you need to know about attending the New Brunswick Spirits Festival appeared first on Paths to Travel.

This article might contain affiliate links. Read the disclaimer about affiliate links & PR gifting here.
This trip was hosted by Tourism Fredericton who did not review or approve this story.

What to see & Do in Fredericton

Culture & History across Fredericton 

Spend an afternoon exploring the city centre and the Historic Garrison District. Set on the shores of the Saint John River, the Garrison is a heritage centre and in many ways, the beating heart of the city. Here, visitors will find The Fredericton Region Museum, cobblestone streets, artisanal offerings and free live concerts throughout the summer. The museum houses 12 historic exhibits, from folklore to military history, to stories of people who called this city home. 

The Fredericton Region Museum | Map link
571 Queen St, Fredericton, NB E3B 5C8
Admission: Adults $6, students $3, children under 6 free. 

The recently renovated Beaverbrook Art Gallery is a cultural highlight of Fredericton. The gallery was Lord Beaverbrook’s gift to New Brunswick’s residents and is one of Canada’s best museums. The recent expansion of the Harrison McCain Pavilion added 9000 ft2 to the Gallery. This bright open space has a lovely cafe and the Gallery gift shop. In the many rooms of this beautiful space, visitors will find pieces showcasing visual art from the Atlantic region and well beyond. Between the Renaissance and Victorian art, you will also find contemporary works by Canadian Indigenous artists and the Grandfather Akwiten canoe, believed to be the oldest birch bark canoe in the world. 

One of the gallery’s prized possessions is Santiago El Grande, Salvador Dalí’s. The painting is one of his biggest pieces and was originally meant to hang in a chapel. The gallery offers tours hosted by one of its security guards and docents, Gerry Rymes, whose deep art and Beaverbrook Gallery knowledge make this visit a truly unique experience. This tour can be booked with the art gallery directly by email.

Beaverbrook Art Gallery | Map link
703 Queen St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1C4
Admission: Adults $20, seniors and sudents $14, youth $8.50, children under 6 free. 
education@beaverbrookartgallery.org

The best way to see Salvador Dalí’s Santiago El Grande (image on the right), is by lying down on the floor against the wall. According to the Beaverbrook Art Gallery’s guide, Gerry Rymes (centre image), it is how you would’ve seen the painting in its intended place in a chapel. Images by Kateryna Topol.

Tours & Experiences 

The Fredericton Capital Region is situated within the Wolastoqey traditional territory, along the Saint John River, locally better known as Wolastoq. Many of the city’s nature experiences are facilitated by the members of the Wolastoqey Nation. The city’s Odell Park contains one of the few old-growth forests left in Canada, with 500-year-old hemlock trees towering above the paths.

The best way to experience this forest is by joining a Medicine Walk operated by cultural interpreter Cecelia Brooks and her son Anthony, from Wabanaki Tree Spirit Tours. Cecelia will guide you through the forest, speaking to its natural wonders and the medicinal properties of various flora and fauna found in the woods. The tour concludes in the garden with teas service and cookies made with acorn flour.

Wabanaki Tree Spirit Tours 
Book by sending an email to wabanakitreespirit@gmail.com or texting 506-461-6806.

For a more active adventure, head to Wolastoq Adventures, who operate canoe tours and rentals, including Canada’s first illuminated kayaking and paddleboarding tours.

Medicine walk led by Cecelia Brooks from Wabanaki Tree Spirit Tours, Fredericton. The cookies pictured above are made with acorn flour.
Images by Kateryna Topol.

Festivals & Special events

An event that brings people from all over the world to Fredericton annually is the New Brunswick Spirits Festival. Taking place in November, this is Canada’s biggest and oldest whisky festival. Producers and spirits fans from across Canada and the world flock to Fredericton to gather for nearly a week of special meals and unique workshops.

In June, Sitansisk (St. Mary’s First Nation, part of the Wolastoqey Nation) holds the annual Powwow. This is a two-day celebration of arts, language, and culture. Events include community breakfast, grand entry parade, drumming, and dance competitions. St. Mary’s Powwow kicks off the Powwow Trail with nine more Powwows across the province. The 2026 Powwow is scheduled for June 19th to 21st.

Among other festivals are the New Brunswick Highland Games, Frediculous Comedy Festival, Queen Street Crawl, Flourish Festival, Nashwaak Music Festival, Summer Music Festival, Future Forest, and many various food events. See the complete list of festivals on frederictoncapitalregion.ca. 

Images from a New Brunswick Spirits Festival event at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton. Images by Kateryna Topol.

Where to eat & Drink in Fredericton

The city’s tagline is “Life well crafted,” so naturally, there are quite a few breweries and distilleries in the area. In the Fredericton region, you will find Gahan House Riverside, King West Brewing and RustiCo., Grimross Brewing Company, Maybee Brewery, Graystone Brewing, The CAP, Picaroons Roundhouse, and TrailWay Brewing Co.. If craft breweries are your fancy, a fun way to see them all is by following the #FredTapTrail. 

First Light Distillery and Scout’s Original Sandwich Shop, located in the same space, are a great stop for lunch or dinner. First Light are best known for their vodka and sell plenty of it ready-to-drink on tap. The Distillery offers tours, mixology classes, and occasionally hosts bingo nights. Scout’s sandwich shop, set on the left side of the taproom, serves made-to-order, delicious sandwiches and locally famous desserts, among other things.

Jenna’s Nut Free Dessertery, located a little bit out of the city, on your way from the airport, is a destination lunch spot. Indigenous-owned and operated by Jenna White, the cafe serves a selection of traditional dishes and Jenna’s take on brunch items, like breakfast sandwiches on bannock. Jenna also operates pop-up cafes at local events and hosts special events throughout the year. 

Wolastoq Wharf Seafood Restaurant is another local favourite. The restaurant serves fresh seafood largely sourced from St. Mary’s First Nation community members, representing its people and locality. On the menu, you will find shareable starters, hearty grilled mains, pastas, and signature desserts. Every meal starts with bannock served with butter and molasses – a Wolastoq Wharf signature. The restaurant is fairly small, so reservations are strongly recommended. 

The Lunar Rogue Pub is a must for whisky drinkers and all people who enjoy a good pub. Opened in 1989, the pub is a part of the city’s fabric and has one of the biggest whisky collections in the country. The collection, in fact, is so deep you need to download an app to see the complete list. Food and other beverages are, of course, also available. 

If you are in the city on Saturday, don’t miss the Fredericton Boyce Farmers Market. With over 200 vendors, including farmers and artisans, the market is one of the best in Canada. 

Eggs Benedict on bannock and a bannock breakfast sandwich at Jenna’s Nut Free Dessertery, Fredericton, New Brunswick. Image by Kateryna Topol.

Dinner at the Wolastoq Wharf Seafood Restaurant, Fredericton, New Brunswick. Image by Kateryna Topol.

Where to stay in Fredericton

Delta Fredericton is perhaps the best hotel in the city. Recently renovated, the hotel has spacious rooms with a beautiful view of the river and a spectacular bar with a large centrepiece on the ground floor. Among the other coveted amenities are the indoor pool, outdoor barrel saunas, and the seasonal Drift Pool + Patio – a destination for locals as much as it is for visitors. The hotel is not quite in the Downtown, but you can ask the hotel for a taxi or use ridesharing apps like Kari and Uride if a walk is not in the cards.

Crowne Plaza Fredericton-Lord Beaverbrook would be a great Downtown alternative. The hotel has a restaurant and an on-site pub as well as an indoor pool and a fitness centre. For a more local stay, take a look at the Quartermain House Bed & Breakfast, a five-star heritage landmark B&B with ensuite baths, heated floors, and plush robes. 

Delta Fredericton by Marriott
225 Woodstock Rd, Fredericton, NB E3B 2H8
Rooms starting at $269 CAD for King
Book directly on marriott.com or compare with your favourite booking site: Expedia | Booking.com | TripAdvisor 

Crowne Plaza Fredericton-Lord Beaverbrook
659 Queen St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1C4
Rooms starting at $184 CAD for Queen
Book directly on ihg.com or compare with your favourite booking site: Expedia | Booking.com | TripAdvisor 

Quartermain House Bed & Breakfast
92 Waterloo Row, Fredericton, NB E3B 1Y9
Rooms starting from $150 CAD, a two-night minimum applies in high season. 
Book directly on quartermainhouse.com. Find past guest reviews on TripAdvisor 

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