Summer is quickly approaching and that means festivals will begin throughout North America. Music festivals, cultural festivals, food festivals, and – our favorite – beer festivals.
Beer festivals are a great way to introduce you (or your friends) to new beers from all over the country.
Below are a listing of some of the best beer festivals in North America.
Great American Beer Festival – Denver Colorado
The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) is a three-day annual event hosted by the Brewers Association. The GABF has more than 2,800 beers to sample from 600+ breweries. The size of the GABF makes it one of the more insane beer festivals – expect around 50,000 visitors. Get your tickets and hotel reservations early. This year’s festival is Oct. 10-12.
Oregon Brewers Festival – Portland,OR
Featuring more than 80 different craft beers from around the country, the Oregon Brewers Festival takes place on the west bank of the Willamette River, with towering Mt. Hood as a backdrop. The Oregon Brewers Festival is always the last full weekend in July, and spans for five days and draws more than 80,000 beer fans. Unlike some beer festivals, the Oregon Brewers Festival is fine for children.
Great Taste of the Midwest – Madison, WI
The Great Taste of the Midwest is an outdoor affair that offers beer from more than one hundred brewpubs and microbreweries. On the second Saturday in August, more than 6,000 fans coming to Olin-Turville Park on the shores of Lake Monona to enjoy beer and music.
American Craft Beer Fest – Boston, MA
A two-day affair, the American Craft Beer Fest (ACBF) is the east coast’s largest celebration of American craft beer. It features 600+ craft beers from 135+ American brewers. This year’s festival is on May 31 and June 1.
These are just a few of the great beer festivals around the country. We recommend visiting www.beerfestivals.org to find a festival near you.