May 2012 Events
2-5: Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America, San Diego, CA
The Brewers Association presents the 2012 Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America, which will take place at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego. This event is North America's number-one educational event for professional brewers, with four different learning tracks. Activities include the World Beer Cup competition reception and dinner, trade shows, a wholesalers' conference, a keynote speaker and seminars, and brewery tours.
3-5: Forever Bury Beer Festival, Bury, England
The Bury Football Club presents the eighth Forever Bury Beer Festival, which will take place at the Bury FC Social Club. Organizers expect to have 40 Real Ales from all over the country, all priced at £2 a pint, along with cider and continental bottled beer. Hot food will be served, and there will be live music during evening sessions.
4-13: Madison Craft Beer Week, Madison, WI
The second annual Madison Craft Beer Week will take place at various locations in Madison and Dane County. This ten-day, two-weekend celebration of craft beer will include a variety of events including beer dinners and food pairings, beer walks, bar promotions, and brewery parties.
4-6: Towcester Beer Festival, Towcester, England
The 2012 Towcester Beer Festival will be held on the grounds of the Towcestrians Rugby Football Club. Organizers expect to have 60 guest ales plus 20 ciders; disco and live music; rugby matches; a tug-of-war; food, including a hog roast and Ghurka curry. Admission is free.
4-7: Falcons Nest Hotel Real Ale Festival, Port Erin, Isle of Man
The Falcons Nest Hotel, located in Port Erin in the Isle of Man, will host its second Real Ale Festival.
11-12: International Beer Fest, Cleveland, OH
The second annual International Beer Fest will be held at the IX Center near Cleveland's Hopkins Airport. This event will consist of three tasting sessions, each with more than 800 beers from 200 breweries from around the world. The festivities will also include appearances by celebrity brewers, authors, and personalities; educational programs; a judged competition; beer and food pairings; and breweriana and other merchandise for sale. VIP tickets, which include rare and limited edition beer tasting and an opportunity to meet the brewers, are available.
11-20: Long Island Beer Week, Long Island, NY
The second annual Long Island Craft Beer Week will take place at breweries, restaurants, and bars on Long Island. This ten-day celebration of craft beer is an effort to raise awareness of local craft beer culture and encourage people to go to local establishments. Events are expected to include Breakfast with the Brewers, The Golden Tap Awards Gala, and a multi-location SimulCask, along with meet-the-brewer nights, beer dinners, brewery tours, a trivia competition, cooking classes, and special tastings.
11-12: Macclesfield Charity Beer Festival, Macclesfield, England
The Macclesfield Round Table presents the 18th annual Macclesfield Beer Festival, which will take place under a marquee on the grounds of the Macclesfield Rugby Club. Recent editions of this festival have featured about 100 beers and ciders; live bands on Friday and Saturday evening; and a free, quiet Saturday afternoon session sponsored by the Macclesfield and East Cheshire branch of the Campaign for Real Ale. The festival is a fund-raiser for charity.
11-12: UnTapped Blues Festival, Kennewick, WA
The 16th annual UnTapped Blues Festival will be held at two locations in Kennewick. Recent editions of this festival were two-day celebrations with blues, bluegrass, and other performers from around the country. Last year the Clover Island Inn hosted Friday's kick-off party featuring "blues under the bridge"; and Saturday's main session, at the Benton County Fairgrounds, featured more than 30 breweries and over 100 beers, along with food and wine.
12: Beer, Bourbon & Barbecue Festival, Charlotte, NC
Trigger Agency, LLC, presents the Charlotte stop on the Beer, Bourbon & Barbecue Festival tour, which will take place at Symphony Park at SouthPark Mall. This afternoon event will feature unlimited sampling of 60 beers and 40 bourbons; live rock, blues, and bluegrass music; barbecue, Southern specialties, and other foods; and seminars led by master distillers, brewmasters, and pit masters. VIP tickets, with early admission, an expanded selection of bacon dishes, and special stage access, are available.
12: Buellton Brew Fest, Buellton, CA
The city of Buellton, located in California's Santa Ynez Valley, will host the inaugural Buellton Brew Fest, which will take place in River View Park. This afternoon event will feature a variety of craft-brewed beers; live music; and food, including bratwurst.
12: Filton Beer Festival, Filton, England
Brizzle Beer Festivals presents the third annual Filton Beer Festival, which will take place at the Filton Folk Centre. There will be afternoon and evening sessions, each with 16 Real Ales, along with five local ciders. The festivities will also include a hog roast and other food; live music at both sessions, and live bands performing in the evening.
12: Great Petaluma Chili Cookoff, Salsa and Beer Tasting, Petaluma, CA
The Cinnabar Theater Young Repertory Company presents the 15th annual Great Petaluma Chili Cookoff, Salsa and Beer Tasting, which will take place at Herzog Hall in Behren's Park on the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds. Recent editions of this festival have been afternoon events with beer from more than 15 Bay Area and West Coast microbreweries, chilis and salsas prepared by 30 teams, a judged competition and voting by festival-goers, and live entertainment. The festival is a fund-raiser for the theater's children's programs.
12-13: Ludlow Food Festival, Ludlow, England
The 2012 Ludlow Spring Food Festival will be held on the grounds of historic Ludlow Castle. This event will feature around 140 Real Ales from small breweries in Wales and the Marches, along with a selection of other drinks; producers selling "seriously good food," including local sausages and bread; a huge display of classic cars; and live music inside the castle. There will be a "Meet the Brewer" preview session the evening before the festival.
12: North Texas Beer Festival, Las Colinas, TX
The second annual North Texas Beer Festival will be held at a new venue, the Irving Convention Center in Las Colinas. Organizers expect to have more than 100 craft, specialty, and imported beers from around the world, along with a selection of Texas wine. The festivities will also include keynote speakers, home brewing demonstrations, culinary classes, and live music in an outdoor beer garden. The festival is a fund-raiser for The Samaritan Inn.
14-20: American Craft Beer Week, nationwide
The Brewers Association presents 2012 American Craft Beer Week, which will take place at establishments across the country. American Craft Beer Week, which kicks off the summer craft beer season, will be celebrated by hundreds of craft brewers and beer retailers, thousands of beer fans, and a congressional resolution honoring the nation's craft brewing industry.
17-June 2: Czech Beer Festival, Prague, Czech Republic
The fifth annual Czech Beer Festival will be held at the Pva Letnany Exhibition Centre in Prague. The festival, which organizers describe as "the largest gastronomic event in the Czech Republic," will feature more than 70 Czech beer served in custom-made glass mugs; a wide range of food from pork and beef butchers, delicatessens, and confectioners; servers dressed in traditional Czech folk costumes; and live music on stage in three tents.
18-19: Barrow Hill Rail Ale and Cider Festival, Barrow Hill, England
Barrow Hill Roundhouse, Britain's only surviving operation of its kind, will host the 11th annual Rail Ale and Cider Festival. The festival will feature more than 150 ales (including gluten-free selections), along with ciders, and continental bottled beers; rides on steam trains; live entertainment afternoons and evenings; and hot food and sandwiches. Free parking is available.
18-19: World Expo of Beer, Frankenmuth, MI
The Frankenmuth Jaycees present the 2012 World Expo of Beer, which will take place at Heritage Park. This community fund-raiser, which organizers deescribe as "Michigan's largest beer sampling event," will feature more than 250 different beers, along with local food.
19: Brewers Bazaar, Stillwater, MN
The Stillwater Sunrise Rotary Club presents the sixth annual Brewers Bazaar, which will take place aboard the Avalon Riverboat, which is docked on the St. Croix River. This afternoon event will feature beer from a dozen local microbreweries, including the local homebrew club; live music; and cheese and soft pretzels. The Brewers Bazaar, which is held in conjunction with Stillwater's Rivertown Art Festival, is a fund-raiser for local charities.
19: Grand Valley Beer Festival, Grand Junction, CO
Mesa State College, located in Grand Junction, will host the second annual Grand Valley Beer Festival, which will take place in the College Center Ballroom. Last year's festival was an afternoon event with beer from about 15 breweries and distributors, a "People's Choice" competition, food, and live music. The event is a fund-raiser for the Maverick Club's student-athlete scholarship fund.
19: West Coast Brewers Festival, Sacramento, CA
The 13th annual West Coast Brewers Festival will be held at Miller Park in Sacramento. This afternoon event will feature more than 120 beers from over 60 breweries, most of them from California, Oregon, and Washington; food from local vendors; and live bands. VIP tickets, with early admission, are available. The festival is a fund-raiser for the Make-A-Difference Project.
21-26: Cambridge Beer Festival, Cambridge, England
The Cambridge & District Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale presents the 39th annual Cambridge Beer Festival, which will take place at Jesus Green. This festival, which is the UK's longest-running, will feature well over 200 beers, along with ciders, perries, mead, and wine; a CAMRA cheese counter; and locally-produced bread, pork pies, and ham.
24-27: Devonshire Arms & Cooper Tavern Beer Festival, Burton-on-Trent, England
The Devonshire Arms and the Cooper Tavern, two public houses located in Burton-on-Trent, will co-host a Beer Festival. Organizers expect to have between 40 and 50 Real Ales and ciders, along with food and entertainment.
24-26: Dewsbury & Heavy Woollen Beer Festival, Dewsbury, England
The Heavy Woollen District branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, in partnership with many local organizations, presents the third annual Dewsbury & Heavy Woollen Beer Festival, which will take place at Dewsbury Town Hall. Past festivals have featured Real Ales from Yorkshire and Scottish breweries (there were about 70 in all), plus world beers and a cider bar; a variety of live music; and hot and cold food. The festival is a fund-raiser for charity.
25-27: California Festival of Beers, San Luis Obispo, CA
The 2012 California Festival of Beers will move to a new venue, the Madonna Meadows and Expo Center in San Luis Obispo. This Memorial Day weekend event will feature more than 500 beers from over 70 breweries, a live concert, wide array of food vendors, and an AHA sanctioned homebrew competition. VIP tickets, which provide access to all events, including a Friday Night Food and Beer event with a special selection of beer, and access to the VIP Lounge during Saturday's Grand Tasting, are available. The festival is a benefit for Hospice of San Luis Obispo. This event sold out last year.
25-27: Kohler Festival of Beer, Kohler, WI
The fourth annual Kohler Festival of Beer will be held in the village of Kohler. Recent editions of this festival have featured "Cheers to Beers" tasting sessions on Saturday and Sunday, a "Eggs and Kegs" beer brunch, a pub pairings seminar, a golf tournament, a homebrewing competition, and a "Blues, Brews & BBQ" party.
26: ValleyFest Beer and Wine Festival, McGaheysville, VA
Massanutten Resort, located in McGaheysville, will host the 2012 ValleyFest Beer and Wine Festival. This all-afternoon event will feature both beer and wine, much of it from the Shenandoah Valley; live music and dancing; food sampling; and craft items for sale.
TBA: Legendary Boonville Beer Festival, Boonville, CA
The Anderson Valley Brewing Company presents the 16th annual Legendary Boonville Beer Festival, which will take place at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in the brewery's hometown of Boonville. This is an open-air event, held in the scenic Anderson Valley, with more than 100 beers from over 50 breweries, most of them from California and the West; music and dancing; and food and merchandise offered by vendors. On-site camping is available, and all proceeds go to local non-profit organizations.
TBA: Seattle Beer Week, Seattle, WA
The 2012 edition of Seattle Beer Week will take place at various locations in and around Seattle. Events during last year's festivities included a kickoff party, with a special Beer Week ale; beer dinners; beer and food pairings; releases and tastings; meet-the-brewer events; educational programs; a beer and movie night; a trivia contest; and a pub crawl by bicycle.