The 2019 International Food Blogger Conference kicked off today in Juneau with four pre-conference excursions: two tours courtesy of Juneau Food Tours, a brew tour at Alaskan Brewing, and a helicopter tour to Mendenhall Glacier.
I was lucky enough to participate in the helicopter ride and glacier visit, put together by Alaskan Brewing. After a thrilling helicopter ride over old-growth forests and ragged mountains, where we saw mountain goats perched on the hillside, we descended to Mendenhall Glacier. Set up on the glacier were two Alaskan Brewing tents with beers, literally on ice, and small local bites including salmon roe, oysters, and smoked cod.
I heard great comments from participants including the following:
- “I can’t think of a better way to start a food blogger conference.”
- “If you aren’t impressed with this, I don’t think you will be impressed by anything.”
- “This was the most amazing thing I have ever done in my life.”
These excursions are one of the huge benefits of changing locations most years, as the IFBC does. If you attended an excursion, please make sure to show your excursion organizer some love in your blog and social media. If you didn’t make it to Juneau next year, we are already planning great excursions for 2020 – to be announced on Saturday!