September 2012 Events
August 30-2: Key West Brew Fest, Key West, FL
The Southernmost Hotel Collection, together with the Key West Sunrise Rotary of the Conch Republic, presents the 2012 Key West BrewFest, which will take place at several locations in Key West. The signature event, on Friday evening, is the Grand Tasting on South Beach, with more than 100 beers served on the beach. Other events over the weekend include a kickoff party at the Bottlecap Groove Lounge, beer dinners, tastings led by brewmasters, brunches, a pool party, and after-parties.
August 30-2: Savannah Craft Brew Festival, Savannah, GA
The fifth annual Savannah Craft Brew Fest will be held at the Esplanade at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center overlooking the Savannah River. This festivities begin on Friday evening with a Craft Brew and Food Pairing Dinner featuring Lowcountry cuisine. On Saturday afternoon, The Grand Tasting will take place, with nearly 150 different craft beers along with live entertainment and food and souvenir items for sale. On Sunday, there will be an International Craft Brew Tasting with beer from several different countries.
August 31-1: Little Woody Barrel-Aged Beer Festival, Bend, OR
The 2012 Little Woody Barrel-Aged Beer Festival will be held at the Des Chutes Historical Museum in downtown Bend. The festival will feature oak-, wine-, and whiskey-barrel aged beers from more than a dozen local breweries, along with a selection of bourbons and Oregon wines. Local restaurants will be serving food, and there will be live music both days of the festival. Part of the proceeds will be donated to the Historical Society.
August 31-3: Cleveland Labor Day Oktoberfest, Berea, OH
The 2012 Cleveland Labor Day Oktoberfest will be held at the Berea Fairgrounds. The four-day celebration will include German food, beer, and entertainment; "People's Choice" awards for beer; local musicians and German dance groups; and competitions, including the Bavarian Strong Man/Woman Contest and the Oktoberfest 5K Bier Run.
7-8: Burbage Beer Festival, Burbage, England
The Burbage & Easton Royal Sports Club presents the 16th annual Burbage Beer Festival, which will take place at the Red Lion Field Marquee. Recent editions of this festival have feature around 25 casks of Real Ale, along with a range of cask ciders; live music, a hog roast, and a barbecue on Friday evening; and an all-days session on Saturday with beer and cider tasting in the marquee, the cricket club's final league match of the season, live entertainment, and barbecue.
7-9: Oktoberfest des Quebecois, Masouche, QC, Canada
The seventh annual Oktoberfest des Quebecois will be held in Mascouche, an outskirt city of Montreal located on the Etang-du-Grand-Coteau. The weekend-long festival, described as "the most important week-end Bavarian festival in eastern Canada," is a traditional Bavarian family-style event with more than 140 Quebec-brewed beers along with traditional food kiosks, amusement park games, musicians, and Bavarian dancers. Three-day passports are available.
8: Wickham Charity Beer Festival, Wickham, England
The fall 2012 edition of the Wickham Spring Beer Festival will be held at the Wickham Centre. The festival consists of afternoon and evening sessions, each with 30 or more Real Ales and ciders; food, including a barbecue staffed by the Meon Valley Lions Club; and live music in the evening. Proceeds will go to local organizations and charities.
13-16: Mt. Angel Oktoberfest, Mt. Angel, OR
The 47th annual Mt. Angel Oktoberfest will be held in the village of Mt. Angel, a community settled by German pioneers. The celebration, described as Oregon's largest folk festival, will feature a traditional Biergarten along with a Weingarten and an Alpinegarten; continuous live music on four stages, with more than 30 acts; more than 50 Alpine food chalets, serving a variety of ethnic foods; street dancing on Friday and Saturday night; a free Kindergarten with rides and shows; and arts and crafts and "Cruz-n-Car" shows.
15: Autumn Brew Review Festival, Minneapolis, MN
The Minnesota Craft Brewer's Guild presents the 12th annual Autumn Brew Review Festival, which will take place near the historic Grain Belt Brewery complex in northeast Minneapolis. Recent editions of this festival have consisted of two tasting sessions, each with beer from more than 75 breweries, one-third of them located in Minnesota; live music and other entertainment; food from local providers; education sessions; beer pairing with brewers and local chefs, and tours of the brewery complex.
15: Pyrates, Pints and Pigs Festival, Halethorpe, MD
Clipper City Brewery, the home of Heavy Seas beer, will host the third annual Pyrates, Pints and Pigs Festival. This afternoon event will feature Heavy Seas beer on tap and firkin, including special one-of-a-kind creations; more than ten different bacons; food from local restaurants; behind-the-scenes access to the brewery; and live music.
20-23: Frankenmuth Oktoberfest, Frankenmuth, MI
Frankenmuth Festivals presents the 2012 Frankenmuth Oktoberfest, which will take place at Heritage Park in the Bavarian-themed town of Frankenmuth. The festival, officially sanctioned by the Lord Mayor of Munich, will feature cold beer; music and dancing; traditional entertainment, including Schuhplattler dancers and oom-pah bands; German food; a wiener dog race; children's activities; and a Sunday worship service in German.
21-23: Chippewa Falls Oktoberfest, Chippewa Falls, WI
The tenth annual Chippewa Falls Oktoberfest will be held at the Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds. This a traditional Oktoberfest-style celebration, which opens with the tapping of the Golden Keg and includes German beer and food. Festivities include a variety of musical performers and other entertainers, family and children's activities, and a Sunday polka worship service.
21-23: Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, America's largest event of its kind, will be held in downtown Cincinnati. In addition to German beer, food, and music, festivities include the ceremonial keg tapping and parade; the Gemutlichkeit Games and the Running of the Wieners; and offbeat family events, headlined by the world's largest Chicken Dance and world's largest kazoo band, led by a celebrity Grand Marshal. Admission is free.
22-October 7: Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany
Oktoberfest is the world's largest and most famous beer festival. Need we say more?
22-23: Das Best Oktoberfest, National Harbor, MD
Trigger Agency, LLC, presents the Washington edition of Das Best Oktoberfest, which will take place on the waterfront at National Harbor. The two-day Oktoberfest-style event will feature more than 150 international beers and wines; a homebrew competition; German food; live music on the Main Stage; oom-pah bands, accordion sing-alongs, and other traditional entertainment on the German Stage; carnival games; contests; and arts and crafts items. VIP tickets, with early admission and a special selection of beers, are available; and there will be a special VIP-only session the day after the festival itself.
TBA: California Festival of Beers and Golf Tournament, Avila Beach, CA
The 2012 California Festival of Beers and Golf Tournament will be held at the Avila Beach Golf Resort. This afternoon event, which has been moved from May to Labor Day weekend, features about 100 beers from over 40 breweries, a live concert, and a wide array of food vendors. Kick-Off tickets, which include admission to a private beer and burger tasting the evening before the festival and access into the lounge area during the festival itself, are available. The festival is a benefit for the Hospice of San Luis Obispo County. This event sold out last year.
TBA: Great Canadian Beer Festival, Victoria, BC, Canada
The 20th annual Great Canadian Beer Festival will be held at Royal Athletic Park
in Victoria. Recent editions of this festival have featured beer from more than 55 craft breweries from across Canada, the U.S. Northwest, and Belgium, along with continuous entertainment by local performers and food from local restaurants and caterers.
in Victoria. Recent editions of this festival have featured beer from more than 55 craft breweries from across Canada, the U.S. Northwest, and Belgium, along with continuous entertainment by local performers and food from local restaurants and caterers.