February 2009 Events

5-7: Chelmsford Winter Beer Festival, Chelmsford, England

The Chelmsford & West Essex Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale will host the tenth annual Chelmsford Winter Beer Festival at the Essex County Council Social Club. There will be about 140 Real Ales, plus Ciders and perries, and a wide range of hot and cold food, snacks and soft drinks at all sessions.

5-7: Pendle Beer Festival, Colne, England

The Pendle Beer Festival will be held at the Colne Municipal Theatre ("The Muni"). In it's fifth year, this year's theme is "All Steamed Up," honoring the railways of old; more than 65 Real Ales and Ciders; proceeds support the Pendleside Hospice.

Sponsored By: East Lancashire Branch, Campaign for Real Ale

6-7: Chesterfield Beer Festival, Chesterfield, England

The Chesterfield Beer Festival will be held at The Winding Wheel. This year's theme is "The War of the Roses," with more than 100 beers from Lancashire and Yorkshire; ciders and perries, world beers, and country wines; live entertainment Friday and Saturday evening.

Organized By: Chesterfield & District Branch, Campaign for Real Ale

6-7: Dorchester Beerex, Dorchester, England

The Dorchester Beerex will be held at the Corn Exchange. Last year's festival featured more than 50 beers and ciders, live music at evening sessions, and a "quiet room." More details about this year's festival will be posted on the branch's website.

Organized By: West Dorset Branch, Campaign for Real Ale

6-7: Festiv-Ale, Regina, SK, Canada

Festiv-Ale will be held at the Conexus Arts Centre and feature more than 300 beers, "from major to micro"; wine and spirits; a variety of pub food; a Canadian Legion color party, with pipers; live music and dancing.

Presented on Behalf Of: The Royal Canadian Legion

6-7: Illkley Beer Festival, Ilkley, Englan

Illkley Beer Festival will be held at Kings Hall & Winter Gardens and feature approximately 100 British Real Ales, ciders and perries, bottled foreign beers, and country wines; food available throughout the festival; brass band on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Orgainzed By: Ilkley & District Round Table

6-7: Jersey Winter Beer Festival, Havre de Pas, Isle of Jersey, United Kingdom

The Jersey Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale will hold a Winter Beer Festival at the Hotel de Normandie in Havre des Pas. There will be more than 30 Real Ales, many of them in winter styles, along with some ciders. Food will be available.

6-7: KLCC Microbrew Festival, Eugene, OR

KLCC Microbrew Festival will be held at the Lane Events Center and feature microbrewed beer "from the West and beyond"; live music both evenings; last year's festival featured a collaboration brew and homebrew competition and a record and CD sale. More details about this year's event will be posted on the festival website.

Benefit For: KLCC 89.7 FM, Eugene's NPR radio station

6-7: Lichfield Winter Beer & Wine Festival, Lichfield, England

Lichfield Winter Beer & Wine Festival will be helld at Lichfield Guildhall and feature more than 35 Real Ales from local micro and regional breweries, including a special beer to celebrate Dr. Johnson's 300th birthday; draft German and Belgian beers; traditional ciders, a range of bottled beers; 20 wines; light lunches and the "famous pork pies"; talk on Lichfield's historic pubs Saturday afternoon; live music Saturday evening.

6-7: Midwest Winter Beer Festival, Covington, KY

Midwest Winter Beer Festival will be held at the Radisson Cincinnati Riverfront Hotel. This year's event has added a Friday evening session; more than 75 beers, and live entertainment.

Benefit For: Big Joe Duskin Educational Foundation, which promotes blues music in area schools

6-7: Tewkesbury Winter Beer Festival, Tewkesbury, England

The Tewkesbury Winter Beer Festival will be held at George Watson Hall and feature more than 60 winter ales, together with a selection of local ciders and perries.

Orgainzed By: Tewkesbury Sub-Branch, Campaign for Real Ale

6-15: San Francisco Beer Week, San Francisco, CA

San Francisco Beer Week will feature numerous events at various locations in and around San Francisco (full schedule TBA on the event website), beginning with a launch party at Anchor Brewery. Other event include The Flavor Architect's Beerunch, a "Meet the Brewer" series at Toronado Pub; beer dinners (and a beer breakfast), Rogue beer and cheese tasting, and Strong Beer Month at the Magnolia Brewery and the 21st Amendment Brewery & Restaurant.

6-7: White Cliffs Festival of Winter Ales, Dover, England

White Cliffs Festival of Winter Ales wil be held at the Maison Dieu (Town Hall) and feature about 75 winter and strong ales, none less than 5% ABV, mostly from small independents and micro-breweries; local cider also available; "Beer of the Festival," awarded to the first empty firkin of the event; food available; CAMRA stall and tombola; music on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon; festival site is the country's oldest and most historic beer festival venue.

Orgainzed By: Deal, Dover, Sandwich and District Branch, Campaign for Real Ale

6: Winterfest, St. Paul, MN

Winterfest will be held at the Minnesota History Center, a new venue this year and feature beer brewed in Minnesota by members of the Guild, with an emphasis on winter warmers; appetizers and live jazz. This event is sold out.

Presented By: Minnesota Craft Brewer's Guild

7: General Lafayette Inn Winterfest, Lafayette Hill, PA

The General Lafayette Inn Winterfest will be held at the General Lafayette Inn & Brewery and feature strong beers and winter warmers from at least a dozen breweries, paired with food made primarily from locally-sourced ingredients; shuttle service available from the Spring Hill Suites.

7: Great Orlando Beer Festival, downtown Orlando, FL

The Great Orlando Beer Festival will be held in The Lot at Club Firestone. "Orlando's only craft beer festival" will feature: an afternoon session; unlimited beer sampling (beer list TBA on the festival website); live music and entertainment. This event has been postponed to later in the year.

Benefit For: Winter Park/Maitland Chapter, Habitat for Humanity

7: North Country Microbrew Festival, Glens Falls, NY

North Country Microbrew Festival will be held at the Queensbury Hotel. Last year's festival featured beer from more than 10 area microbreweries. More details about this year's event will be posted on the festival website.

Benefit For: Literacy Northeast New York

7: Winter AleFest - Dayton, Dayton, OH

Winter AleFest – Dayton, an inaugural event, will be held at the Dayton Masonic Center and emphasize food and beer pairing; more than 60 craft-brewed beers from over 50 breweries; food provided by local restaurants and chefs; entertainment by Nick Mitchell; merchandise for sale; silent auction.

Benefit For: Suicide Prevention Center

8: Lagunitas Beer Circus, Petaluma, CA

The inaugural Lagunitas Beer Circus will take place at the Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma. In addition to circus acts–an R-rated marching band, a bondage demonstration, a burlesque show, and "other things creepy and strange"--there will be beer from North Bay-area craft brewers and locally-provided food. This event is a benefit for Petaluma-area high school bands.

11-13: Battersea Beer Festival, London, England

The Battersea Beer Festival will be held in the Grand Hall at the Battersea Arts Centre and feature more than 160 Real Ales (beer list TBA on the festival website) from across Britain, plus foreign beers, ciders and perries; traditional Polish and other food; this year's festival commemorates the 100th anniversary of the first airplane flight across the English Channel.

South-West London Branch, Campaign for Real Ale

13: Friday the Firkenteenth, Philadelphia, PA

Friday the Firkenteenth, held at the Grey Lodge Pub, is a Friday the 13th tradition, featuring 13 or more cask-conditioned ales at the bar. This is the only known beer event in the world whose frequency and timing are completely at the mercy of the calendar.

13-15: Max's Fifth Annual Belgian Beer Fest, Baltimore, MD

Enjoy "72 Hours of Belgium" at Max's Taproom in Baltimore. The fifth annual Belgian Beer Fest will feature more than 120 Belgian beers on draft, and another 175 or more in bottles, along with a full Belgian-inspired food menu.

14-15: Confluence 2009: Wine, Beer, Seafood and Music Festival, Gardiner, OR

The Confluence 2009: Wine, Beer, Seafood and Music Festival is held two miles north of Reedsport, on the Oregon Coast and features beverages from area breweries and wineries; craft and food vendors; entertainment, including seven bands and solo acts; ice sculpting; chef demonstration; free shuttle bus between Gardiner, Reedsport, and Winchester Bay.

Sponsored By: Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce

14: Kumeu Beer Wine & Food Festival, Kumeu, New Zealand

The 2009 Kumeu Beer Wine & Food Festival will take place at the Kumeu Showgrounds, in the historic West Auckland district of Kumeu. There will beer and wine from the area's boutique breweries and wineries, along with local gourmet food. Other festival activities include live bands and entertainment for children. The festival will benefit Epilepsy New Zealand and the New Zealand Epilepsy Assist Dog Trust.

14-20: Toronado Barleywine Festival, San Francisco, CA

The Toronado Pub will host its annual Barleywine Festival. Fifty barleywine-style ales from around the country will be served during this week-long festival, with judging on opening day, February 14.

15: Best of the West Beerfest, Oakland, CA

Celebrator Beer News will celebrate its 21st birthday with its Best of the West Beerfest at the Oakland Convention Center (Marriott Hotel). The beer includes selections from more than 50 breweries from the West Coast and beyond. Brewery owners and brewmasters, Celebrator staff and writers, and beer industry luminaries, including pioneer figures in the craft beer movement, will be in attendance. Breweriana and other items will be sold at a silent auction. VIP tickets, with early admission, are available. The festival is a benefit for the California Small Brewers Association.

15: Tokyo Real Ale Festival, Tokyo, Japan

The Tokyo Real Ale Festival will take place at Sumida Riverside Hall, Azumabashi, Tokyo. At least 25 Real Ales will be served, and there will be live entertainment and talks about beer. Most of the festival website is in Japanese.

18-21: Rotherham Oakwood Real Ale & Music Festival, Rotherham, England

The Rotherham Oakwood Real Ale & Music Festival will be held at Oakwood Technology College. This year's theme is "A Day At the Races"; more than 250 Real Ales from across the U.K. served at 11 bars, plus European beers, Real Ciders, and wines; a variety of live music at four separate venues; event is a fund-raiser for Rotherham children.

Organized By: Oakwood 400 Club

19-21: Fleetwood Beer Festival, Fleetwood, England

The Fleetwood Beer Festival will be held in Marine Hall at The Esplanade
Blackpool and feature about 120 cask beers; world bar, with beers in a number of styles not usually easily found in the UK; a range of traditional farmhouse scrumpies; live music Friday and Saturday evenings.

Orgainzed By: Fylde & Wyre Branch, Campaign for Real Ale

19-21: Liverpool Beer Festival, Liverpool, England

The Liverpool Beer Festival will be held in Metropolitan Catholic Cathedral Crypt and feature more than 175 Real Ales, including special festival beers; ciders, perries, and fruit wines; food; live entertainment Friday and Saturday evening. This year's festival is sold out.

Organized By: Liverpool & District Branch, Campaign for Real Ale

19-21: Luton Beer Festival, Luton, England

The South Bedfordshire Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale will hold the Luton Beer Festival at the Hightown Sports and Arts Centre. Organizers have selected 80 Real Ales from independent breweries, most of which are new to the festival, along with ciders, perries, and bottled beers. There will be live entertainment Friday and Saturday evenings.

20: 93Rock Best Damn Brew Review, Hallandale, FL

The 2009 edition of the 93Rock Best Damn Brew Review will take place at Gulfstream Park Racing and Casino. The festival, which will be hosted by "Spice Boy" from the "Bubba the Love Sponge" morning show, will feature almost 200 beers along with live music and food from local restaurants. There will be plenty of free parking.

20-21: Cock & Bull Real Beer Festival, Stony Stratford, England

The Cock & Bull Real Beer Festival, Stony Stratford's first beer festival, will be held at the York House Centre. This two-day event will feature 20 "local-ish" beers. Contact Ken Daniels at ken at jookofstony dot freeserve dot co dot uk for more information.

20-21: Extreme Beer Fest, Boston, MA

The Extreme Beer Fest will be held at The Cyclorama.

Friday will feature 100 percent wood-aged beers, guest speakers, and snacks; Saturday afternoon, and evening tasting sessions, each with more than 100 craft-brewed extreme beers; event is "fortified by Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and the letters E, B, and F."

Sponsored By: BeerAdocate.com

20-21: Winterfest XVII, Gosport, England

The Portsmouth and South Hampshire Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale will present Winterfest XVII, which will take place at Thorngate Halls. About 75 cask ales, and a selection of bottled beers, will be served at three sessions (Friday evening and on Saturday afternoon and evening). There will be live music at all sessions.

21: Beer Lover's Brewfest, Manitowoc, WI

The Manitowoc Jaycees present the Beer Lover's Brewfest, which will take place at the Manitowoc County Expo. Beer from more than 20 Wisconsin breweries will be available. Admission includes a commemorative mug or glass; some festival-goers have a large collection of Brewfest glassware. This event is a fund-raiser for the Jaycees.

21: Bock Fest, New Ulm, MN

Bock Fest will be held at New Ulm Brewery. It's New Ulm's Fasching celebration, with Bock beer, live music from the Bock Fest Boys, a bonfire grilled bratwurst and other food, and the traditional "Bock Hunt"; museum and gift shop will be open.

21: Food and Froth, Milwaukee, WI

Food and Froth will be held at the Milwaukee Public Museum and feature more than 200 beers from Midwestern and international breweries, including special and seasonal beers; live music from a variety of local performers; prize raffle; food from local vendors; admission includes access to museum exhibits.

Benefit For: Milwaukee Public Museum exhibits and educational programs

21: Friendfest 2009, Kutztown, PA

The inaugural edition of Friendfest, a benefit beer and wine festival, will take place at the Kutztown Fairgrounds. Beer from a number of Pennsylvania microbreweries will be available, along with local wines. Admission includes food, live music by "Frog Holler," and a chance to win prizes. The festival is a benefit for Friend, Inc., Community Services.

21: Hillsdale Brewfest, Portland, OR

McMenamin's Hillsdale Brewery and Public House will be stage the wintertime "Battle of the Belt," at which guests are invited to try up to 18 original McMenamins ales and then vote for their favorite. The winning brewers take possession of the highly coveted belt, and win the right to represent McMenamins at the Oregon Brewers Festival in July.

21: Sausagefest '09, Chicago, IL

The inaugural Sausagefest will be held at the Rock Bottom Brewery in downtown Chicago. The festival, co-sponsored by the Rock Bottom Brewery and the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild, will be an afternoon of craft brews, hand-made sausage, and artisanal cheese. Abe Froman, "the sausage king of Chicago," will be a special guest speaker.

22: Mid*Winter Beer Festival, Milwaukee, WI

The Mid*Winter Beer Festival will be held at the Milwaukee Ale House. There will be beer, including extreme beers, from more than 30 breweries. The festival benefits the MACC Fund.

22: Rock Bottom Winter Warmer Festival, Cleveland, OH

The Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery in Cleveland will hold its Winter Warmer Festival on February 22. This year's event will feature beer from 13 breweries off the North Coast Harbor, along with live music and a lunch voucher. A portion of the tickets sales will go to the Ohio Brewer’s Guild.

26-28: Bradford Beer Festival, Saltaire, England

The Bradford Beer Festival will be held at Victoria Hall. Saltaire village is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Recent festivals featured than 100 Real Ales, ciders, and foreign beers, plus country wines, stalls and tombola, and entertainment Friday evening and Saturday sessions. More details about this year's festival will be posted on the branch's website.

Organized By: Bradford Branch, Campaign for Real Ale

26-28: Forever Bury Beer Festival, Bury, England

The fifth annual Forever Bury Beer Festival will be held at the Bury FC Social Club and feature 45 beers; ciders, perries, and continental bottle bar; hot food and live entertainment; live football games on the big screen TV on Saturday.

26-28: Harrogate Charity Beer Festival, Harrogate, England

Harrogate Charity Beer Festival will be held at the Harrogate International Centre and feature more than 30 beers, along with ciders, perrys, bottled beers, and wines; proceeds benefit local charities.

Orgainzed By: Harrogate & District Round Table

26-28: Stockton Ale & Arty Beer Festival, Stockton on Tees, England

Stockton Ale & Arty Beer Festival will be held at The ARC, Dovecct Street and feature more than 70 Real Ales, Real Lagers, ciders, and perries; CAMRA stall and tombola; food at all sessions; live entertainment at evening sessions.

Organized By: Cleveland Branch, Campaign for Real Ale

27: Art of Beer, Niagara Falls, NY

Art of Beer will take place at Niagara Arts and Cultural Center, which is also hosting this fund-raising event. There will be a selection of microbrewed beer from western New York, food from area vendors, and music by two live bands. In addition, there will be an art sale and auction as well as prize raffles.

27: Brewer's Winter Beer Festival, Adamstown, PA

Stoudts Brewing Company will be the site of the inaugural Brewer's Winter Beer Festival. There will be winter warmers from 11 area microbreweries, along with music by "The Youngers" and a food buffet. A free shuttle bus service will run between Stoudts and local accommodations.

27-28: Strong Ale Fest, Boulder, CO

Strong Ale Fest will be held at Harpo's Sports Grill and feature more than 70 beers and meads, all with 8% or higher ABV, from over 30 breweries. More details about this year's festival will be posted on the brewery's website.

27-Mar. 1: World of Beer, Phoenix, AZ

World of Beer will be held at Margaret T. Hance Park and will feature fifty beers and three ciders, available in 16-ounce cups or as part of samplers; entertainment and games; free admission; event is part of Worldfest 2009.

Presented By: Pro's Ranch Markets

27-28: Wrexham Beer Festival, Wrexham, England

Wrexham Beer Festival will be held at the Colliery Club. This inaugural event will feature 28 Real Ales and six ciders and perries, all from local breweries; hot and cold meals and snacks; entertainment on stage during evening sessions; traditional pub games.

Organized By: Chester & South Clywd Branch, Campaign for Real Ale

28: Arizona Strong Beer Festival, Mesa, AZ

Arizona Strong Beer Festival will be held at the Mesa Amphitheatre and feature strong beers and a variety of other styles brewed in Arizona and other Western states; food vendors and live entertainment. More details about this year's festival will be posted on the Guild's website.

Sponsored By: Arizona Craft Brewers Guild

28: Michigan Brewers Guild Winter Beer Festival, Grand Rapids, MI

Michigan Brewers Guild Winter Beer Festival, at the Fifth Third Ballpark, will be a celebration of Michigan-brewed barrel-aged, cask, and "big" beers; hot food and live music; the festival will be held outdoors, "snow, rain or shine."

Presented By: Michigan Brewers Guild

28: Beats, Brews and BBQ, Philadelphia, PA

Beats, Brews and BBQ, held at the World Live Café, is the fifth annual event featuring beer from 30 local and regional breweries; wine and spirits also available; food, including Tommy Gunn's American Barbeque; live music; beer seminars; homebrew shops; special VIP tickets, with early admission and access to limited-edition specialty beers.

28: Brewer's Winter Beer Festival, Adamstown, PA

Brewer's Winter Beer Festival, an inaugural event, will be held in Brewery Hall at Stoudts Brewery and feature a selection of winter warmers from microbreweries; music by The Youngers; food buffet; free shuttle bus service to local accommodations.

28: Liquorland New Zealand Beer Festival, Wellington, New Zealand

The Wellington edition of the Liquorland New Zealand Beer Festival will take place at Waitangi Park on the waterfront. More than 70 beers from over 20 breweries, most of them from New Zealand, will be available. There will be a range of international food, an eclectic lineup of live music, and drawings for prizes.

28: Shadowbrook Beer Fest, Tunkhannock, PA

Shadowbrook Beer Fest at the Shadowbrook Inn and Resort will feature two tasting sessions; more than 120 beers from 50 breweries; educational program hosted by leading beer writers; live music; food provided by Feast Your Eyes, Inc.