August 2008

July 26-August 14: Annafest

Location: Kellerwald, Forchheim, Germany
Highlights: Festival of St. Anne, first held in Forchheim in 1446; celebrated in a beer garden with room for 30,000; fairground attractions; food from 24 restaurants plus numerous stalls selling German food; live bands.

August 1-2: Belgium Comes to Cooperstown

Location: Brewery Ommegang, near Cooperstown, NY
Organized By: Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: Annual celebration of Belgian culture with tours of the brewery; a five-course beer dinner with hard-to-find Belgian beers, live music, and a late-night bonfire on Friday; a tasting of more than 150 Belgian and Belgian-style beers, with live music and food for sale including Belgian waffles, a pig roast, seafood kebabs, sandwiches, and Belgian stew, many made with Ommegang beers; camping available. Tickets must be purchased in advance online.

August 1-3: Benrath Bierboerse

Location: Pedestrian Zone, Benrath (near Duesseldorf), Germany
Highlights: Biergarten atmosphere; more than 1,000 beers from over 75 countries, including hard-to-find German microbrewery products; food and live entertainment; breweriana; artisan stands. Website is in German only.

August 1-3: International Berlin Beer Festival

Location: Karl-Marx-Allee, Berlin, Germany
Highlights: A "beer mile" (actually, more than 2.2 kilometers) in Berlin's historic downtown, featuring more than 1,750 different beers from 240 breweries representing 80 countries; cultural and culinary specialties from 20 German "beer regions"; live music on a variety of stages; free admission.

August 1-2: Mammoth Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza

Location: Sam's Wood Site, Mammoth Lakes, CA
Presented By: Mammoth Brewing Company
Highlights: Beer from more than 50 microbreweries and the and the best blues performers in the country (beer and entertainment lineup TBA).

August 2: Beer and Bluegrass Festival

Location: River Run Village, Keystone Resort, Keystone, CO
Highlights: Beer from more than 30 Colorado microbreweries, served in a beer garden; down-home cooking; acoustic bluegrass music on two stages; inflatables and children's activities at "Energy Alley"; free parking and admission.

August 5-9: Great British Beer Festival

Location: Earls Court, London, England
Organized By: Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: Last year's festival featured more than 700 Real Ales, ciders and perries, and foreign beers; tutored tastings; food and a variety of entertainment; bar games and pub quizzes; a family room; and the "Champion Beer of Britain" competition.

August 7-10: Toronto's Festival of Beer

Location: Fort York, Toronto, ON, Canada
Sponsored By: The Beer Store
Highlights: Canada's leading beer festival, with more than 200 beers; Southern-style barbecue, live entertainment, and grilling demonstrations by TV personalities; historic setting; also, satellite events throughout the Greater Toronto Area.

August 8-11: Leverkusen Bierboerse

Location: An der Schusterinsel, Leverkusen-Opladen, Germany
Highlights: Biergarten atmosphere; more than 1,000 beers from over 75 countries, including hard-to-find German microbrewery products; food and live entertainment; breweriana; artisan stands. Website is in German only.

August 9: Blues and Brews

Location: Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, Akron, OH
Highlights: Beer and wine tasting; food for sale; live blues music; cooking demonstrations, with recipes available for take home; special VIP "Brewers Circle" tickets, featuring lunch, specialty brewed beers, and a VIP band, are also available.

August 9: Brew at the Zoo

Location: Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Syracuse, NY
Highlights: Last year's festival featured beer from 14 breweries and providers, animals on exhibit, a silent auction, and food and live music. More details of this year's festival will be posted on the zoo's website.

August 9: Bronze Blues & Brews Festival

Location: City Park, Joseph, OR
Highlights: Blues music by regional and national performers; beer from Western microbreweries (list TBA); food and souvenir vendors; camping available; festival site is within walking distance of downtown; free shuttle service to and from Wallowa Lake, Joseph, and Enterprise.

August 9: Great Taste of the Midwest

Location: Olin-Turville Park, Madison, WI
Organized By: Madison Homebrewers and Tasters Guild
Highlights: Last year's festival featured 500 beers from more than 100 breweries and brewpubs from the Midwest; a lakeside festival venue; a celebrity brewer dunk tank; food, live entertainment, and plenty of space to spread out.

August 9: Microfestivus

Location: Elmwood Park, downtown Roanoke, VA
Presented By: The Square Society
Highlights: An expanded lineup of more than 50 beers from over 20 craft breweries from the Mid-Atlantic region; better layout and more facilities for this year's event.

August 9: North Fork Craft Beer, BBQ and Wine Festival

Location: Martha Clara Vineyards, Jamesport, NY
Benefit For: New York State Brewers Association Branch and local charities
Highlights: Last year's inaugural festival offered two tasting sessions; more than 50 breweries and providers, including many from New York State; barbecue and a side dish. More details of this year's event will be posted on the festival website.

August 15: Beer & Baseball: Beer 101

Location: McCormick Field (home of the Asheville Tourists), Asheville, NC
Highlights: Beer sampling plus an opportunity to learn about beer styles, how beer is brewed, and how to choose proper glassware; admission includes hors d’oeuvres and admission to the ballgame.

August 15-16: Brews, Brats and Bands 2008

Location: Stevens Point Brewery, Stevens Point, WI
Benefit For: American Red Cross and Meals on Wheels of Stevens Point
Highlights: Two-day event featuring live music, Johnsonville Brats, and Stevens Point Brewery products. Brews; family events, including a children's carnival; silent auction; free admission.

August 15: Flour City Brewers' Fest

Location: Frontier Field, Rochester, NY
Presented By: Rohrbach Brewing Company
Highlights: Beer from more than 20 local and national craft brewers and distributors; food and live bands; festival is sanctioned by the New York State Brewers Association.

August 16: Fleet Lions Beer Festival

Location: Ancells Community Hall, Fleet, England
Benefit For: Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust and local charities
Highlights: "A taste of the South," with beers from breweries in the south of England; two tasting sessions; barbecue available throughout the day. Event is organized by the Fleet Lions Club, in conjunction with The Crondall Brewery Company. More details of this year's event will be posted on the festival website.

August 16: Russian River Beer Revival and BBQ Cookoff

Location: Stumptown Brewery Beach, Guerneville, CA
Benefit For: Guerneville Seniors Center
Highlights: Festival is held on the banks of the Russian River; beer from more than 25 breweries, plus ciders; barbecue from 25 teams; shuttle bus available from Santa Rosa.

August 16: The Steinley Cup Microbrew Festival and Competition

Location: Veterans Island Park, Saratoga, WY
Highlights: Event is Wyoming's official microbrewery competition, with the Steinley Cup awarded to the winner; family-friendly event, with food and live music; "Taste of the West," featuring the area's best chili cooks, and the Saratoga Bullfest, a bull riders-only event, are held on the same weekend.

August 19: Reading Phillies Beer Tasting Festival

Location: FirstEnergy Stadium, Reading, PA
Sponsored By: The Reading Eagle
Highlights: Pre-game sampling of imported and domestic beer provided by All-Star Distributing; all-you-can-eat buffet featuring barbecue chicken and hot dogs; access to the heated pool.

August 19-23: Peterborough CAMRA Beer Festival

Location: The Embankment, Peterborough, England
Organized By: Peterborough & District Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: Recent years' festivals featured more than 350 Real Ales, plus ciders, perries, and bottled beers; food vendors; live music; "Champion Beer of the Festival" competition; and free admission to daytime sessions. More details about this year's festival will be posted on the branch's website.

August 22: Brew at the Zoo, Columbus

Location: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Powell (suburb of Columbus), OH
Benefit For: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Highlights: After-hours event at the zoo, with beer and food provided by the Winking Lizard beer bar; live music and prizes. More details about this year's event will be posted on the zoo's website.

August 23: Great Eastern Invitational Microbrewery Festival

Location: Brewery Hall, Stoudts Brewery, Adamstown, PA
Highlights: Two tasting sessions, with more than 50 microbrewed beers from around the country; Ed Stoudt's "Best of the Wurst" German-style buffet; live entertainment; complimentary shuttle service from local motels.

August 23: Hops in Humboldt

Location: Rohner Park, Fortuna, CA
Benefit For: Hops in Humboldt Foundation
Highlights: Beer from about 30 area breweries (more to be confirmed; see festival websie for update); an ecclectic music line-up, arts and crafts, and food.

August 23: Sierra Brewfest

Location: Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley, CA
Hosted By: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Highlights: Outdoor venue, underneath tall Ponderosa pine trees; more than 100 beers from over 35 area microbreweries; wine and non-alcoholic beverages; live music by the Cold Shot Band; food, including sausages, barbecue, and Mexican food.

August 23: Summertime Brews Festival

Location: Greensboro Coliseum Pavilion, Greensboro, NC
Benefit For: American Red Cross
Highlights: Expanded lineup of more than 160 beers from all over the world. This festival is expected to sell out at the door.

August 23-28: Wilmington Cricket Club Mini Beer Festival

Location: Wilmington Cricket Club, Wilmington, England
Highlights: Beer from 20 breweries; cricket matches throughout the festival; event will be opened by the mayor of Dartford.

August 25: AleFest Dayton

Location: Carillon Historical Park, Dayton, OH
Benefit For: Diabetes Association of the Dayton Area
Highlights: More than 250 beers from over 100 breweries, with a special Ohio craft brewery section; food and live music; breweriana and beer wearables on sale; silent auction and raffle; Dogfish Head’s "Randall The Enamel Animal."

August 29-30 (provisional dates): Harbury Beer Festival

Location: Village Hall, Harbury, England
Organized By: Heart of Warwickshire Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: Last year's festival featured more than 50 beers, including locally-brewed products; ciders, perries, and bottled beers; food; entertainment Saturday night; "Beer of the Festival" competition. Details of this year's festival will be posted on the branch's website.

August 29-31: Karlsruhe Bierboerse

Location: Schlossplatz, Downtown Karlsruhe, Germany
Highlights: Biergarten atmosphere; more than 1,000 beers from over 75 countries, including hard-to-find German microbrewery products; food and live entertainment; breweriana; artisan stands. Website is in German only.

August 29-September 1: La Fete Bieres et Saveurs

Location: Fort Chambly, Chambly (near Montreal), QC, Canada
Presented By: Desjardins
Highlights: Venue is a national historic site on the banks of the Richelieu River; festival features microbrewed beers as well as wine, cider, cheese, and other Quebec products; entertainment, including acrobats, musicians, magicians, and jugglers.

August 31-September 1: Festival of Iowa Beers

Location: Millstream Brewing Company, Amana, IA
Highlights: Beer from 10 craft breweries, with brewers in attendance, and seven homebrew clubs; cooking with beer demonstration; live music and local food.

August TBA: Blues 'n' Brews Festival

Location: Nashoba Valley Ski Area, Westford, MA
Highlights: More than 80 beers, including cask-conditioned ales, from 40 breweries; live blues music; prizes, including an autographed guitar; games and demonstrations; craft and vendor booths.

August TBA: BrewExpo 2008

Location: Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, State College, PA
Presented By: Brew Nation
Highlights: Last year's BrewExpo offered two tasting sessions with more 150 beers from 60 breweries and importers, a gourmet international buffet, the People's Choice gold medal competition, Brewzeum exhibits, and BrewForum interactive tasting seminars. Details of this year's event will be posted on the BrewExpo website.