After three successful years in existence, the High Gravity Hullabaloo is no more. The organizers of the event published an update on the Columbus Craft Beer Alliance website today to break the news to fans.
“In Fall 2013, Jamie, Laura, and I came together with the goal of making a difference in the Columbus craft beer community in an effort to give back to the community in a meaningful way,” explained organizer Doug Oldham. “Now, in February 2016, our mission is still the same… and that’s why we need to revamp the way we do things, starting now.”
Oldham goes on to say that while the events have been successful and popular, the group cannot deal with the amount of negativity and complaints that they’ve come under fire for over the past week since the annual festival was held on February 6th.
“Although we believe this year’s Hullabaloo was our best planned and best executed event ever, we’ve gotten complaint after complaint after complaint during the event and ever since,” said Oldham. “We’ve been sworn at, shouted at, asked for money back, insulted, and thanks to one fellow, threatened multiple times with physical harm.”
The Hullabaloo has served as a volunteer-run fundraising event for the Columbus Craft Beer Alliance, which Oldham points out will not be going away. Instead of hosting the larger annual event, the group plans to refocus on smaller ongoing events spread throughout the calendar year.
“We’re already hard at work coming up with ways to achieve our goals more effectively,” he stated. “We’re talking to breweries and other craft beer groups about holding some really cool special events that I know you’ll love. And we’ll come up with something creative and fun to replace the Hullabaloo – we know what Hullabaloo fans like and we’ll work to tap into those qualities, but in innovative new ways.”
For more information, visit www.columbuscraftbeer.org.