The 34th edition of the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America (CBC) will return to the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., from April 10-13 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. CBC is presented annually by the Brewers Association (BA) to serve both brewpubs and packaging breweries.

BrewExpo America provides attendees the opportunity to connect with customers, vendors and leaders in the national and international brewing arena. The tradeshow sets the stage for exhibitors and buyers to develop profitable business relationships and helps brewing and brewery restaurant professionals encounter the latest and best products and services that industry vendors have to offer, the association says.

A record 14,000 brewing industry professionals will have the opportunity to meet with 800 exhibitors and hear from a wide range of speakers during
70 seminars across 11 tracks. Featured speakers include the BA’s Director Paul Gatza and Chief Economist Bart Watson, who will deliver the annual State of the Industry Address.

Best-selling author and leadership guru Alison Levine and brewing icon Dick Cantwell also have been tapped to deliver keynote speeches for the 2017 conference and tradeshow. The dual presenters will speak during the CBC’s two general sessions.

“CBC attendees enjoy hearing from voices within the brewing community and outside of it as well,” Gatza said in a statement. “The combination of Dick, a prolific and venerable brewer, and Alison, a trailblazer and experienced risk taker, will offer attendees valuable insight as they navigate opportunities and challenges in both brewing and business.”

Levine is a former Wall Street executive and avid explorer and mountaineer. Levine’s authentic messages of survival and success in some of the most extreme circumstances translate and remain applicable on the mountains and in fast-paced business environments alike.

Cantwell co-founded Elysian Brewing Co. in 1996, where he served as head brewer until its sale to Anheuser-Busch in 2015. He most recently served as Quality Ambassador for the BA.

As small and independent craft brewers face unique opportunities and challenges in the marketplace, the CBC enables them to connect with their colleagues and comrades to share ideas and learn about relevant topics ranging from brewery operations to sustainability and government affairs, the association says.

The CBC’s return to Washington, D.C., one of the nation’s oldest beer cities and the center of government, is designed to promote one of life’s pursuits of happiness, it adds. BI