(Map | Courtesy of the Old Mill District)
Rideshare company Lyft and the Bend Brewfest are encouraging festival goers to leave their cars at home and take Lyft to and from the event August 15-17. As an official partner and preferred rideshare company of both the Bend Brewfest and the Les Schwab Amphitheater, Lyft wants to make it as easy as possible for the thousands of attendees to celebrate craft beer in Oregon with a reliable ride ready at the end of the night.
The annual three-day event began in 2002. It’s now the largest beer festival in Central Oregon and will be held at the Les Schwab Amphitheater. Nearly 40,000 people attended the Brewfest last year, and organizers are expecting similar numbers this year.
Lyft ridership tripled last year during the weekend of the festival, and we encourage area drivers to be ready and available. The Brewfest runs from 4-11pm on Thursday, August 15 and from noon-11pm on August 16-17. Admission to the festival is free and tasting packages start at $20.
“The Bend Brewfest is a Bend institution, and we are thrilled to be a partner for this year’s event,” said Nathan Lawless, Lyft Oregon general manager. “With so many people planning to attend, we want to encourage riders to plan a smart ride ahead of time with Lyft and forgo the stress of parking in the area.”
The Lyft-sponsored Pick-Up/Drop-Off Zone is located at the Old Mill District’s parking lot on the west side of the river, near the Hampton Inn, making it easy for passengers to connect with their drivers. Additionally, Lyft riders can get 10 percent off one ride to or from Brewfest when using the code BENDBREWFEST.
“We’re thankful to have Lyft as a partner and encourage all of our attendees to help alleviate traffic around the Old Mill District by getting a ride to and from the festival,” said Marney Smith, Bend Brewfest director.
Those interested in driving for Lyft can submit an application directly in the Lyft Driver app or find the application at lyft.com.
