Years ago, when our founder Ed McNally was approached by a colleague about buying some ads to run on TV, he asked what it would cost. When he was told $75,000, Ed decided to come up with a better idea. Because the folks who drink Big Rock are the best candidates to spread the word, Ed had a thought: “Let’s ask people to make our beer commercials, and then we’ll have a big party to watch them all and give out prizes for the best ones.”

And thus the Eddies were born, the best party in Calgary and one of the most innovative marketing schemes anywhere. They came a long way from a couple of entries and a couple hundred people in Calgary in 1993, to selling out each year and having people from as far away as Australia submit video entries.

The Eddies encouraged innovation and creativity among Big Rock customers and raised money for deserving Calgary arts beneficiaries such as One Yellow Rabbit Performance Theatre, Calgary Folk Music Festival and EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts.

In 2016 we hosted our 23rd and final Eddies festival. It closed a celebrated chapter in our breweries history.

While Big Rock no longer hosts a formal Eddies festival, our commitment to supporting the people and passion behind their craft continues to be celebrated by our brand. We’ve taken Ed’s vision for The Eddies and the legacy that it created to inspire our growing investment in people, partnerships, programs, festivals, and awards across Canada that honour the traditions and values of The Eddies.

Check out our events schedule here to join us [wherever you are] at the party!

 Cheers!