Member Spotlight: Ankhor Events (Orléans Events) – Bringing Communities Together Through Unforgettable Experiences

When you attend the Orléans Craft Beer Festival, you’re experiencing more than just great craft beer, live music, and local food. You’re taking part in a community tradition built on connection, belonging, and hometown pride.

Behind some of the region’s most anticipated festivals is Ankhor Events, a community-driven event company dedicated to creating experiences that bring people together. Formerly known as Orléans Festivals, the organization has grown from a single community event into the team behind three signature festivals: the Orléans Craft Beer Festival and the Orléans Cork & Fork Festival.

For Executive Director Kevin Hurtubise, the inspiration began years ago while organizing a local charity event supporting a close friend battling lung cancer. As hundreds of people gathered, he noticed something special happening. Neighbours were reconnecting, old friends were catching up, and community members were sharing experiences together.

“People kept saying how great it was to reconnect with people they hadn’t seen for years,” Kevin recalls. That realization sparked a simple idea: communities deserve meaningful experiences close to home.

Today, Ankhor Events creates destination-worthy experiences without requiring people to leave their own neighbourhoods. Their festivals provide opportunities for residents to gather, support local businesses, enjoy live entertainment, and celebrate the communities they call home.

The company’s success is rooted in the people who make the events possible. Nearly 100 volunteers support Ankhor’s festivals, with approximately 90 percent returning year after year. That remarkable level of commitment reflects the strong sense of community that has become the foundation of every event.

Whether it’s a sold-out evening at the Orléans Craft Beer Festival or a premium food and wine experience at the Orléans Cork & Fork Festival, Ankhor Events continues to create memorable experiences that bring neighbours, families, friends, and local businesses together.

Located in the Heart of Orléans, the Centrum Festival Plaza has become the perfect home for these community celebrations. Its central location provides a welcoming gathering place where residents can return year after year to enjoy safe, accessible, and professionally organized events.

#WhyNotOrléans?

Ankhor Events embodies exactly what the #WhyNotOrléans movement is all about. Instead of travelling downtown or outside the community for entertainment, residents can enjoy premium festival experiences right here in their own backyard.

From award-winning craft beer festivals to food, wine, music, and community celebrations, Ankhor Events has helped establish Orléans as a destination where people can connect, celebrate, and create lasting memories close to home.

Because when great experiences, great people, and great community come together in one place, the question becomes:

#WhyNotOrléans?

Photo credit: Michael Willems Photo