April 2008

April 2-5: Newcastle Beer Festival

Location: Students Union, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Organized By: Tyneside & Northumberland Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: Last year's event featured more than 100 ales and ciders, including beers specially brewed for the festival. More details about this year's festival will be posted on the branch's website.

April 3-5: Rotary Club Beer Festival

Location: Newton Sports Club, Newton-le-Willows, England
Presented By: Rotary Clubs of Newton-le-Willows and Golborne Lightshaw
Highlights: Inaugural event, with more than 50 Real Ales plus a selection of bottled beers and lagers; wine; soft drinks (free to designated drivers); free transport available from Newton and Earlestown railway stations.

April 3-5: Walsall Beer Festival

Location: Walsall Town Hall, Walsall, England
Organized By: Walsall Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: One hundred beers from around the country, plus traditional ciders and perries and foreign bottled beers; live entertainment at Friday and Saturday sessions; hot and cold food; CAMRA shop.

April 4-25: Cooper's Alehouse IPA Festival

Location: Cooper's Alehouse, Seattle, WA
Highlights: More than 40 India pale ales, including cask ales, special releases, and IPAs brewed specially for the festival; food specials and tasters available; "Best of the Fest" presentation and IPA specials all night on the final day of the festival.

April 4-5: Okanagan Fest-of-Ale

Location: Penticton Trade & Convention Centre, Penticton, BC, Canada
Benefit For: Local charities
Highlights: Last year's festival featured more than 75 beers from over 25 breweries, food from some of the South Okanagan's best restaurants, and live entertainment.

April 4-5: Oldham Beer Festival

Location: Queen Elizabeth Hall, Downtown Oldham, England
Organized By: Rochdale, Oldham and Bury Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: Oldham's longest bar and biggest pub for the weekend; about 75 cask ales from around the country, plus a wide range of continental bottled beers and ciders, perries, and fruit wines; traditional food available at all sessions; live entertainment during evening sessions; event is held in aid of the Mayor’s Appeal.

April 5: Bay Area's Fifth Annual Firkin Festival

Location: Triple Rock Brewery & Alehouse, Berkeley, CA
Benefit For: Alisa Anne Rusch Burn Foundation
Highlights: Beer from 25 to 30 breweries, showcasing beer styles ranging from classic English-style bitters to triple India pale ale (Triple Rock's firkin will be Reindeer Ale, its hoppy Christmas beer.

April 5: Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival

Location: 4-H Building, Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, MD
Presented By: Moorea Marketing
Highlights: More than 40 beers, plus 20 bourbons; numerous varieties of barbecue; live music; cigar smoking; free parking; festival site is reachable by light rail; a portion of the proceeds benefits the WCD Foundation for Education.

April 5: Gitchee Gumee Beer Festival

Location: Wessman Arena, Superior, WI
Benefit For: Boys & Girls Club of Superior
Highlights: More than 120 beers from over 30 Wisconsin and Upper Midwest brewers.

April 5: Hops & Props 2008

Location: Museum of Flight, Seattle, WA
Highlights: Beer from 50 craft breweries from eight states and five countries, with brewmasters on hand; food provided by McCormick and Schmick's; live music by the Dudley Manlove Quartet; admission includes access to museum galleries.

April 5: KROQ Microbrew Festival

Location: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, CA
Sponsored By: KROQ-FM 106.7
Highlights: Microbrewed beer from more than 20 local breweries, the latest music, and free giveaways courtesy of KROQ.

April 5: Portland's Cheers to Belgian Beers

Location: Roots Organic Brewing Company, Portland, OR
Benefit For: Leukemia Lymphoma Society
Highlights: Belgian-style beer, brewed with Belgian yeast, from 15 Oregon brewers; food and live music; "People's Choice Award" voting.

April 6: Classic City Brew Fest

Location: Foundry Park Inn, Athens, GA
Highlights: Sampling of 150 beers from around the world, including world-class, gourmet, and strong beers; food and live music, T-shirt and collectibles booth. Buy your tickets early; this event sells out.

April 8: Smuggler's Notch Beer Festival Part 2

Location: Smuggler's Notch Resort, Jeffersonville, VT
Highlights: Local and regional beers and wines with food, music, and prizes.

April 9-12: Maldon Beer Festival

Location: Town Hall, top of Market Hill, Maldon, England
Organized By: Dengie Hundred Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: More than 60 Real Ales and ciders; music by the Blue House at Saturday evening's session; food available at all sessions; this year's souvenir glass will honor the 60th anniversary of the Maldon Rugby Club; free admission.

April 10-13: Mansfield Beer & Cider Festival

Location: The Intake Club, Mansfield, England
Organized By: Mansfield & Ashfield Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: New venue this year; more than 100 beers, ciders, perries, and wines; live entertainment, including Morris dancers Saturday afternoon; food available at all sessions.

April 10: Ultimate Belgian Tasting

Location: Gustavino's, New York, NY
Sponsored By: Ale Street News; held in conjunction with the Belgian Consulate
Highlights: An array of Belgian beers, foods, chocolates and cheeses, served in an elegant restaurant on Manhattan's East Side (jacket and tie required); proceeds benefit the Tomorrow's Childrens Fund of Hackensack University Medical Center.

April 11-12: Boulder Strong Ale Festival

Location: Harpo's Sports Grill, Boulder, CO
Highlights: A tribute to "big beers" (all 8% ABV or higher) from around the country, with 70 beers from 30 to 40 breweries. More details of this year's festival will be posted on the Avery Brewing Company's website.

April 11-12: Coventry Beer Festival

Location: Butts Park Arena, Coventry, England
Organized By: Coventry and North Warwickshire Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: More than 80 beers, Over 85 beers, ciders, and perries. More details of this year's festival will be posted on the branch's website.

April 11-12: Frodsham Beer Festival

Location: Community Centre, Frodsham, England
Organized By: Frodsham Care
Highlights: More than 40 beers; hot food available; live music at evening sessions.

April 11-27: Fruhling'sfest

Location: Theresienwiese, Munich, Germany
Highlights: A smaller, more family-oriented version of Oktoberfest, held on the Oktoberfest grounds; beer tents; food, live music, and a variety of entertainment; carnival rides; merchandise for sale; fireworks. Website is in German only.

April 11-12: Helsinki Beer Festival

Location: Cable Factory, Downtown Helsinki, Finland
Highlights: Hundreds of different beers from around the world, along with numerous ciders and whiskies; professionally judged beer, cider, and whisky competitions; music from top Finnish bands; food and cigar stands; and appearances by international beer celebrities.

April 11: Montana Beer Festival

Location: Gallatin County Fairgrounds, Bozeman, MT
Benefit For: Montana Outdoor Science School, Montana Food Bank Network, and Gallatin Valley Food Bank
Highlights: More than 75 beers from over 25 breweries from Montana and the Northern Rockies; judged beer competition and "People's Choice Awards"; food pairing and barbecue; professional homebrew coaching; live music, comedy, and Old World beer contest; festival venue is wind-powered, environmentally designed, and waste-free.

April 11-12: Peoria Jaycees Beer Festival

Location: Exposition Gardens, Peoria, IL
Organized By: Peoria Jaycees
Highlights: More than 300 beers from six continents; live music; smaller and quieter venue for this year's festival.

April 11: Zoo Brew

Location: Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, AZ
Benefit For: Bornean Orangutans at the Phoenix Zoo
Highlights: Beer from Valley of the Sun's breweries; live music by A Flock of Seagulls, When In Rome, and Dramarama on the main; complimentary food; early bird and VIP tickets available; raffle for custom-made MUDD Guitar, concert tickets, and other prizes.

April 12: Great Brews From Around the World

Location: Split Rock Resort, Lake Harmony, PA
Highlights: Beer from 30 of the world's finest breweries, along with music, crafts, a variety of international food, and seminars related to international beer.

April 12: Great International Spring Beer Festival

Location: Convention Center, Providence, RI
Presented By: Festivals of America, LLC
Highlights: A smaller version of the fall Great International Beer Festival; two tasting sessions, with tutored tastings conducted by nationally-recognized experts.

April 12: Hickory Hops

Location: Union Square, downtown Hickory, NC
Hosted By: Old Hickory Tap Room and the Hickory Downtown Development Association
Highlights: Outdoor venue; beer from more than 30 microbreweries from all over the South; cask-conditioned ale tent organized by brewer Steven Lyerly; announcement of winners of Carolinas Championship of Beer; live music by Baby Black Orchestra, with more bands TBA.

April 12: New Times Original Beerfest

Location: Downtown Fort Lauderdale, FL
Presented By: Paul and Young Ron
Highlights: More than 170 beers; food tents, offering food from local restaurants; live entertainment all evening long.

April 12: Repeal of Prohibition Beer Festival

Location: Schlafly Bottleworks, St. Louis, MO
Highlights: A celebration of the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition, featuring more than 20 styles of beer from Schlafly as well as three Indiana microbreweries: New Albanian, Mad Anthony, and Brugge Brasserie.

April 16-19: Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America

Location: Location: Town & Country Resort, San Diego, CA
Organized By: Brewers Association
Highlights: North America's number-one educational event for professional brewers, with four different learning tracks; exhibits; tours of local breweries; World Beer Cup competition reception and awards dinner. Additional details will be posted on the conference website.

April 17-20: Bamber Bridge Football Club Beer Festival

Location: Bamber Bridge Football Club, Irongate Ground, Bamber Bridge, England
Highlights: Up to 25 ales and ciders, nominal admission charge, food available; football match on Saturday. More details of this year's event will be posted on the club's website.

April 18-19: Boston Beer Summit

Location: The Castle @ Park Plaza, Boston, MA
Presented By: BeerSummit.com
Highlights: Three tasting sessions, with more than 200 beers from 50 breweries (complete list TBA on the festival website).

April 19: Brewphoria

Location: Canal Street Pub & Restaurant, Reading, PA
Highlights: Beer from 15 breweries and distributors, most of them from Pennsylvania; complimentary buffet; live music; breweriana.

April 19: Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival

Location: Dairyland Greyhound Park, Kenosha, WI
Benefit For: Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha
Highlights: Beer from nearly 50 breweries; cheeses from Wisconsin's most popular cheese factories; greyhound racing with pari-mutuel wagering; live music by Mark Harrod and Friends; greyhound shows, The Klements Racing Sausages, and items for sale.

April 19: Earth Day Celebration in Zion Canyon

Location: Bit & Spur Restaurant, Springdale, UT
Organized By: Zion Canyon Brewing Company
Highlights: Earth Day celebration. Contact Julie Hancock by phone at 435.772.3434 or by email at ccc (at) infowest (dot) com for more information.

April 19: Erie Micro Brew Festival

Location: The Brewerie, Erie's Historic Union Train Station, Erie, PA
Hosted By: The Brewerie
Highlights: Afternoon and evening tasting sessions, featuring beer from 15 regional craft breweries. Details of this year's event will be posted on the festival website.

April 21: Beer on the Bridge

Location: Walnut Street Bridge, downtown Chattanooga, TN
Benefit For: Chattanooga Area Food Bank
Highlights: More than 150 beers from around the world; food vendors; live music by regional performers.

April 24-26: Maltings Beer Festival

Location: Tuckers Maltings, Newton Abbot, England
Organized By: Society of Independent Brewers, South West Branch
Highlights: Last year's festival featured more than 250 Westcountry beers, and live music Friday and Saturday evenings. Details of this year's event will be posted on the festival website.

April 24-28: Cirencester Beer Festival

Location: Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, England
Presented By: RAGS Entertainment
Highlights: Last year's festival included a wide range of beer; live music and other entertainment; local food, including a hog roast; and family activities on Saturday. More details about this year's event will be posted on the festival website.

April 25: Arborfest

Location: Kagin Commons, Macalester College, St. Paul, MN
Benefit For: Family Tree Clinic
Highlights: More than 50 beers from over a dozen local craft breweries and brewpubs; live music (lineup TBA); food; brewery swag raffle and competition; non-alcoholic drinks available.

April 25-26: "Blooms & Brews," the Oregon Garden Brewfest

Location: J. Frank Schmidt, Jr., Pavilion, Oregon Garden, Silverton, OR
Highlights: Last year's festival featured beer from many Oregon breweries, food and live music, an amateur brewers' contest, and free admission to the garden. More details of this year's event will be posted on the Oregon Garden website.

April 25-26: Brewski Festival 2008

Location: Seven Springs Resort, Seven Springs, PA
Highlights: Evening session each day; admission includes beer tasting, buffet, seminars, and musical entertainment.

April 25-26: Calgary Beerfest

Location: Big 4 Building, Stampede Park, Calbary, AB, Canada
Highlights: Hundreds of beers "from down the block to around the world," plus ciders and coolers; "People’s Choice Award" beer competition; educational talks by beer experts; food from local restaurants; live music; prizes, including passes to after-parties in Calgary; interactive entertainment and games.

April 25-26: Chippenham Beer Festival

Location: The Olympiad, Chippenham, England
Organized By: North West Wilshire Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: Last year's event featured more than 80 Real Ales, ciders, and perries served at cellar temperature, food and soft drinks, and live music at all sessions.

April 26: Brew Fest Extravaganza

Location: Manayunk Brewery, Philadelphia, PA
Highlights: Tenth annual event; last year's festival featured more than 50 beers from Delaware Valley breweries and live acoustic music. More details about of this year's festival will be posted on the brewery's website.

April 26: City Paper's Brew Fest

Location: Fells Point Square, Baltimore, MD
Presented By: Baltimore City Paper
Highlights: More than 40 beers, live music and prizes; event will be held rain or shine; proceeds benefit the Fells Point Preservation Society.

April 26: Dark Lord Day 2008

Location: Three Floyds Brewing Company, Munster, IN
Organized By: Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: One-day-only release of Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout; Real Ale from a number of American craft breweries; food, including Cornish pasties, pretzels, and sausage; live bands; book signing; and merchandise on sale.

April 26: International Beer Festival

Location: Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA
Benefit For: Telegraph Hill Cooperative Nursery Association
Highlights: Twenty-fifth annual event, with more than 300 craft-brewed beers from around the world; food provided by some of San Francisco’s best restaurants; live music; raffle. Tickets go on sale around St. Patrick's Day.

April 26: International Wine & Beer Festival

Location: Between Old Main and the Piper Writers House, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Organized By: ASU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Leadership Council
Highlights: A sampling of international beers and wines, hors d-oeuvres, music, and a silent auction; event is a fund-raiser for overseas study for ASU students.

April 26: 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.

April 26: Swedish Championships in Homebrewing

Location: Norra Magasinet, Lovstabruk, Sweden (90 miles north of Stockholm)
Highlights: Twentieth annual event, with 70 to 90 beers entered in the "people's choice" competition; three divisions: lagers, ales, and special beers. Website is in Swedish only.

April 26: Parkville Microbrewery Festival

Location: English Landing Park, downtown Parkville, MO
Sponsored in Part By: The Main Street Parkville Association and 106.5 FM, "The Wolf"
Highlights: Historic downtown venue; beer from area craft breweries; live bluegrass music; grilled food; homebrewing demonstration.

April 26-27: TAP New York

Location: Hunter Mountain, Hunter, NY
Presented By: Hudson Valley Beer & Fine Food Festival, Inc., and Hunter Mountain
Highlights: More than 80 beers from New York State craft breweries and brewpubs; gourmet foods, prepared by chefs from some of the area's best restaurants; presentation of Matthew Vassar Cup and the F.X. Matt Memorial Cup to winning beers.

April 26: Thorner Beer Festival

Location: Village Hall (Victory Hall), Thorner, England
Benefit For: Raise the Roof Campaign, to replace the Village Hall
Highlights: Twenty-eight firkins of ale; live entertainment throughout the day; regular bus service from Leeds Bus Station.

April 26-29: Upstairs Downstairs Beer Fest

Location: The Cricketers Arms, Keighley, England
Highlights: More than 20 beers from around the country, plus a selection of foreign bottled beers; free admission; festival takes place during regular pub hours. For more information call John or Vicky at 01535 669912.

April 26: World Beer Festival Raleigh

Location: Moore Square, Downtown Raleigh, NC
Presented By: All About Beer Magazine
Highlights: Two tasting sessions; beer from more than 150 world-class breweries, food from local restaurants, live music, children's entertainment, and beer presentations; this year's festival will benefit the Downtown Raleigh Alliance.

April 27: Distinguished Big Beer Fest

Location: Appalachian Brewing Company, Harrisburg, PA
Highlights: Inaugural event; a collaboration of "big beers" and cask ales from more than 12 breweries along with several import specialties; food available; live bluegrass music. Attendance is limited to 350 people

April 27: Great Petaluma Chili Cookoff, Salsa and Beer Tasting

Location: Behren's Park, Herzog Hall, Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, Petaluma, CA
Benefit For: Cinnabar Theater Young Repertory Company
Highlights: "Petaluma's most beloved event", featuring beer from more than 15 Bay Area and West Coast microbreweries along with chili and salsa prepared by 40 teams; voting for best chili and salsa; live entertainment.

April 30-May 3: New England Real Ale Exhibition (NERAX)

Location: George Dilboy VFW Post, Somerville, MA
Organized By: Cask-Conditioned Ale Support Campaign (CASC)
Highlights: About 80 cask-conditioned ales, equally divided between the British Isles and New England; six tasting sessions, with all-session passes available; musical entertainment and barbecue from Redbones.

April 30-May 3: Paisley Real Ale Festival

Location: Paisley Town Hall, Paisley, Scotland
Organized By: Renfrewshire Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: The biggest beer festival in Scotland; last year's event featured more than 130 cask-conditioned beers and voting for "Champion Beer of the Paisley Beer Festival."