• Do your site-seeing. Most festivals have websites, and you should visit them as soon as you decide to attend. Bob Paolino of Great Lakes Brewing News warns that The Great Taste of the Midwest, always one of the year's best festivals, sells out weeks in advance and doesn't sell tickets at the gate. In addition to ticket information, a good website will list the participating breweries, tell you who's performing and what's on the menu, and let you know whether it's a good idea to bring the kids.
  
• Last things first. The most important question to ask yourself is "how am I getting home?" In many cities, you can book a hotel within walking distance--often at a special festival rate. If you live away from downtown or you're staying out in the suburbs, find out whether bus or rail transportation is available (good festival sites have this information). Also, most festivals reward designated drivers with free nonalcoholic drinks and a break on admission.
  
• Feed your head. A full meal before the festival is the best way to avoid getting blindsided by strong ale and even stronger sunshine. Food also minimizes alcohol's tendency to drain nutrients out of your system. It's also smart to visit the food stands at the festival, or, if you can, bring in your own.
  
• Water, water... Festival veterans agree: drink lots of water. Alcohol dehydrates you, even on a cool day. "The more water you drink, the better you'll feel at festival close...and 6 am the next morning," Bob Paolino advises. As a hedge against too few fountains at the site, carry a big bottle of water; you can use it to clear your palate and rinse out your mug between tastings.
  
• Take the road less traveled. Try to be at the festival when the crowds aren't. Portland beer writer Lisa Morrison hits the Oregon Brewers Festival on Friday, explaining "The beer hasn't run out and a lot of people have to work (or didn't have the foresight like me to take off that day)." By arriving early, you can put in a full day of sampling and still beat the homeward crush of humanity.
  
  Special events at festivals are a good opportunities to sample beer in less hectic surroundings. Paul Gatza of the Association of Brewers recommends the Connoisseurs Tasting at the Great American Beer Festival. It's a Saturday afternoon session at which this year's medal winners are announced; attendees "have the edge in knowing what they are and can sample them right away."
  
• Get with the program. Your most useful tool at a festival is the souvenir program. Even if the program costs a few dollars, it's money well spent. Go down the list of what's on tap (good programs describe the beer), and use the festival map to get to your favorites. Remember, too, the general rule of tasting: start with lighter beers, and work your way up to the stronger, more flavorful styles. As you sample the beer, jot down your tasting notes in the program, or, if you prefer, a notebook or pack of index cards (you did bring a pen, right?). Those notes will come in handy later when you peruse the tap handles at an alehouse or wander down the beer aisles in a store.
  
• Dress for the occasion. Wear comfortable clothes. Mother Nature can--and will--throw everything from blinding sunshine to rain showers to gusty winds at you. And as Hartford travel writer Kimberly Knox discovered at a local festival, "just about anything you wear will have beer spilled on it by the end of the evening." And what about all those glasses, coasters, and T-shirts you're going to acquire? Cass Enright of Toronto-based Bartowel.com suggests: "Bring a backpack or have large pockets."
  
• Easy does it. A beer festival is more like a marathon than a 100-yard dash. Follow Lisa Morrison's advice: "Talk with some of the exhibitors, grab a bite or two to eat and chill with some music. You are going to be there a while, you need to pace yourself." Seasoned festivalgoers know the downside of overdoing it; Paul Gatza observes that "if I start losing sobriety, I start to lose my ability to truly taste, savor and enjoy the beers I am sampling."
  
• Money talks. Cash is still king at festivals, and Cass Enright advises having some in reserve. "Most fests are ticket-based," he explains, "and you usually run out of the tickets you are initially allotted quite quickly."
  
• There's always next time. Disappointments are inevitable. The gold-medal winning hefeweizen will run out before you try it, and crowds will keep you away from that all-organic brewery's booth. Don't worry, you'll get another chance; most festivals are annual events, and there are plenty of events on the calendar. Treat each festival as part of an ongoing quest, not just for new and unusual styles, but a better understanding of beer.

This article originally appeared on Suite101.com in July 2001.