September 2008

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.

September 5-7: Ashford Beer Festival

Location: Ashford Rugby Club, Ashford, England
Highlights: A three-day event featuring Real Ale, music and rugby; 40 Real Ales, including beer from UK breweries rarely found in Kent; Real Ciders; an eclectic mix of live music; rugby matches with all levels represented.

September 5: Brew at the Zoo and Wine, Too, Denver

Location: Denver Zoo, Denver, CO
Hosted By: Denver Zoo's Wild Things Committee
Highlights: Beer, wine, and hors d'oeuvres from more than 50 Colorado breweries and restaurants, music and dancing at the zoo after dusk; event is a fund-raiser for the zoo's Red Apple Fund for life-long learning.

September 5: Emerald Coast Beer Fest

Location: Seville Quarter, Pensacola, FL
Organized By: Escambia Bay Homebrewers
Highlights: Beer from 20 Southeastern microbreweries and brewpubs; bottled specialty beers and a selection of homebrewed beers for sampling; food and music by the McGuire's Irish Pub Pipe Band.

September 5-6: Great Canadian Beer Festival

Location: Royal Athletic Park, Victoria, BC, Canada
Highlights: Fifteenth annual event; beer from more than 40 craft breweries from across Canada and the American Northwest; continuous entertainment by local performers; food from local restaurants and caterers.

September 5-6: Hopps of Fun Beer & Wine Festival

Location: Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City, MI
Organized By: Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: Waterfront venue; more than 50 Michigan microbrewed beers, along with over 40 wines from Michigan’s four internationally recognized wine regions; brewmasters and winemakers in attendance; area entertainers, sponsored by the Odawa Casino; a variety of food.

September 5-6: Shrewsbury Real Ale Festival

Location: The Music Hall, Shrewsbury, England
Organized By: Shrewsbury & West Shropshire Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: A wide selection of beers, including locally-brewed products (this year's theme and beer list TBA; see branch's website); ciders, country wines, and perries; live entertainment.

September 6-7: Japan Craft Beer Festival–Yokohama

Location: Osanbashi Hall, Yokohama International Passenger Terminal 1, Yokohama, Japan
Organized By: Japan Craft Beer Association and Beer Taster Non Profit Organization
Highlights: More than 120 craft beers available for sampling.

September 6: Maidstone Beer and Hop Festival

Location: Museum of Kent Life, Cobtree, England
Organized By: Maidstone and Mid-Kent Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: Last year's event featured more than 90 beers including more than 20 from Kent, traditional hop picking, live entertainment, and family activities. More details of this year's festival will be posted on the branch's website.

September 11-13: "Booze on the Ouse," the St Neots Beer Festival

Location: Burgess Hall, St Ivo Centre, St Ives, England
Organized By: Huntingdonshire Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: Last year's festival featured more than 40 Real Ales plus ciders, perries, and foreign bottled beers, food, and a CAMRA stand and tombola. Details of this year's festival will be posted on the branch's website.

September 11-14: Mt. Angel Oktoberfest

Location: Mt. Angel, OR
Highlights: Traditional Biergarten, Weingarten and Alpinegarten; continuous live music (more than 30 groups) on four stages; free Kindergarten with rides and shows; Friday and Saturday night street dancing; more than 50 Alpine food chalets serving ethnic foods; arts and crafts show; "Cruz-n Car" show; RV and tent camping.

September 12-14: European Beer Festival

Location: Carlsberg Vesterfælledvej 100, Copenhagen, Denmark
Presented By: Danish Beer Enthusiasts
Highlights: Festival venue is part of the old Carlsberg brewery; Europe's largest beer festival, more than 2,000 beers from over 450 breweries from throughout Europe; in addition to the festival itself, organizers plan a number of satellite events.

September 12-13: Hinckley CAMRA Beer Festival

Location: Masonic Hall, Hinckley, England
Organized By: Hinckley & Bosworth Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: Inaugural event, with more than 40 Real Ales plus ciders, perries, and fruit wines; food available at all sessions; ample parking.

September 12: New York Brewfest

Location: Piers 16 and 17, South Street Seaport, New York, NY
Presented By: Heartland Brewery
Highlights: More than 300 craft-brewed beers, most of them from New York State breweries, with brewmasters and brewery representatives on hand; music by four bands throughout the evening; most of the festival venue is covered; proceeds benefit the New York State Brewers Association.

September 12-14: Telluride Blues & Brews

Location: Telluride Town Park, Telluride, CO
Highlights: Outdoor music venue with mountain peaks for a backdrop; beer from 50 breweries during Saturday's Grand Tasting; nationally-renown blues artists (this year's performers TBA); a variety of food and crafts vendors; festival continues in late-night juke joints and after-hours jams. Tickets go on sale March 3.

September 13: Great Lakes Beer Fest

Location: Racine on the Lake Festival Park, Racine, WI
Benefit For: Kilties Drum and Bugle Corps
Highlights: Lakeshore venue; last year's festival featured more than 250 craft beers from over 100 breweries, a complimentary pint to first 1,000 paid admissions, live music on two stages, a homebrew championship, and special VIP packages. More details of this year's event will be posted on the festival website.

September 13: Smyrna Hops & Barley Beer Tasting

Location: Smyrna Market Village, Smyrna, GA
Benefit For: Owen T . Wheeler Pediatric Cancer Foundation
Highlights: Hundreds of local and international beers; live music by the Parrotheads; DJ Lethal Rhythms; food from area restaurants.

September 13: Steel City Big Pour

Location: 214 North Lexington Street, Pittsburgh, PA
Presented By: Construction Junction
Highlights: "Three Hours of Beer, Live Art, and Music"; last year's festival featured beer from 20 breweries, live music, food, "kegerator art," and a "not so silent auction." More details about this year's festival will be posted on the Construction Junction website.

September 14: Jenkintown Jazz and Beerfest

Location: Jenkintown Town Square, Jenkintown, PA
Presented By: Jenkintown Community Alliance
Highlights: "Red hot jazz and ice cold beers"; outdoor festival featuring premium hand-crafted beer along with foreign bottled beers, live jazz and blues music, food vendors, and a root beer garden for the kids.

September 14-15: Lytham Beer Festival

Location: Lowther Pavilion, Lytham, England
Organized By: Blackpool Fylde & Wyre Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: Inaugural event; around 60 Real Ales plus world beers, ciders and perries; light refreshments and family room available at all sessions.

September 15-16: Bruges Beer Festival

Location: The Belfry, Central Market, Bruges, Belgium
Presented By: Brugse Autonome Bierproevers VZW (Bruges Beer Tasters) and the City of Bruges
Highlights: Inaugural event; more than 100 beers from over 40 breweries and beer suppliers, including five Trappist breweries and artisanal Gueuze blenders and brewers; brewers will be in attendance; beer cuisine, with four guest chefs each day; carillon concerts; beer education programs; and family activities. Website is in Flemish only.

September 18-21: Frankenmuth Oktoberfest

Location: Heritage Park, Frankenmuth, MI
Presented By: Frankenmuth Festivals
Highlights: Plenty of cold beer; traditional Bavarian entertainment, including Schuhplatter; German food; wiener dog races; Sunday German worship service; children's activities.

September 19-21: Chippewa Falls Oktoberfest

Location: Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds, Chippewa Falls, WI
Organized By: Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company and others
Highlights: Traditional Oktoberfest celebration, begun with the ceremonial keg tapping; a variety of musical performers and other entertainers; children's activities; all-German car show; scavenger hunts.

September 19-21: Fremont Oktoberfest

Location: Along the Fremont Ship Canal, Fremont District, Seattle, WA
Benefit for: Fremont Chamber of Commerce
Highlights: More than 70 beers from 35 breweries, served in three beer gardens; a variety of live entertainers; food and craft vendors; kid's area; activities, including a chainsaw pumpkin carving competition, 5-K run/walk, and "street scramble" scavenger hunt.

September 19-20: Independence Brew-B-Q

Location: River Walk Parks, Independence, IA
Benefit For: Big Brothers and Big Sisters Mentoring Program
Highlights: Saturday beer tasting in the beer garden, with regional, national, and imported beers; Brew-B-Q & Bike Ride; barbecue contest, sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society; live entertainment; free admission to festival site.

September 19-20: Midwest Brewfest

Location: Friday dinner venue TBA; Saturday tasting at Century II Exhibition Hall, Wichita, KS
Presented By: Wichita Chapter, American Institute of Wine and Food (AIWF)
Highlights: Beerfest dinners Friday evening (details TBA on the festival website); grand tasting Saturday with more 400 beers, beer-friendly food, DJ Ronnie Choy, and silent auction for the benefit of Starkey, Inc. The event is a fund-raiser for the AIWF Culinary Scholarship Fund.

September 19-21 and 26-28: Oktoberfest on Larimer Square

Location: Ballpark Neighborhood (between 20th and 22nd Streets), Denver, CO
Highlights: Event is modeled after Munich's Oktoberfest; German attractions, music from national touring groups, performances by international dancers, children’s activities, heritage booths selling German good; traditional German food; children’s activities.

September 19: San Diego Festival of Beer

Location: Columbia and B Streets, downtown San Diego, CA
Benefit For: San Diego Professionals Against Cancer
Highlights: Outdoor downtown venue; more than 150 bears from over 60 area microbreweries; wine also available; food; music provided by Len Rainey and the Midnight Players and Night Shift.

September 20: Ballpark Beer Festival

Location: Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park, Charleston, SC
Presented By: Mellow Mushroom
Highlights: More than 100 American specialty brews, plus a wide variety of malt beverages, wine, and liquor; food and live entertainment.

September 20: California Brewers Festival

Location: Discovery Park, Sacramento, CA
Organized By: Rotary Club of Point West-Sacramento
Highlights: More than 155 microbrews by over 65 brewers from all over the West; live bands, performing in a tree-shaded park; a variety of traditional, Mexican, and southern foods, and a cigar vendor; professionally-judged beer competition, with awards in 13 categories; event benefits local children's charities.

September 20: Big Lake Brewfest

Location: Wessman Arena, Superior, WI
Benefit For: Junior Achievement
Highlights: Beer from 25 area breweries; outdoor beer garden; games and contests.

September 20-October 5: Munich Oktoberfest

Location: Theresienwiese, Munich, Germany
Highlights: The world's biggest beer festival...need we say more?

September 20-21: Oktoberfest Zinzinnati

Location: Downtown Cincinnati, OH
Highlights: America's largest Oktoberfest; German beer, music and food; famed for the world's largest Chicken Dance and world's largest kazoo band; free admission.

September 20: Steamboat Brewers' Festival

Location: Torian Plum Plaza, Steamboat Springs, CO
Highlights: Beer from 15 or more Colorado breweries; "Brewer's Choice" and "People's Choice" awards; live music, food vendors, and root beer for kids.

September 20: Thirsty Troll Beer Festival

Location: Grundahl Park, Mt. Horeb, WI ("the Troll Capital of the World")
Highlights: Intimate beer sampling, featuring more than 100 craft-brewed beers by over 35 brewers; live music; food served by area restaurants; get your picture taken with Ivan the Thirsty Troll.

September 20: Suds on the Green

Location: William Land Park, Sacramento, CA
Benefit For: The First Tee
Highlights: Beer from local breweries, as well as brands supplied by Marktein Beverage Company, an event sponsor; food and live music; festival-goers will be able to watch the Sacramento Eagles professional golf team.

September 24-27: Ipswich Beer Festival

Location: Ipswich Corn Exchange, Ipswich, England
Organized By: Ipswich Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: The largest beer festival in Suffolk; last year's festival featured more than 200 draft beers plus ciders, perries, and imported bottled beers; food available at all sessions; live music during evening sessions; family area and quiet drinking zone.

September 24-27: St Albans Beer Festival

Location: Alban Arena, St Albans, England
Organized By: St Albans Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: More than 350 British Real Ales, plus foreign beers, ciders, and perries; breweriana auctions; a variety of entertainment, with quiet sessions Wednesday and Friday evenings; and a team quiz Saturday afternoon.

September 25-27 (provisional dates): Keighley Beer, Cider & Perry Festival

Location: Victoria Hall, Keighley, England
Organized By: Keighley & Craven Branch, Campaign for Real Ale
Highlights: Twentieth annual event; more than 100 Real Ales plus a range of ciders, perries, and foreign bottled beers; musical entertainment; tombola; "Beer of the Festival," with judged and public vote competitions; proceeds benefit charity.

September 26-October 4: Oktoberfest, USA

Location: Various locations, La Crosse, WI
Highlights: Tapping of the "Golden Keg," German food and entertainment; a variety of activities including a lederhosen luncheon, the honorary royal family, a torchlight parade, and games and contests.

September 26-27: The Return of the Belgian Beer Fest

Location: The Cyclorama, Boston Center for the Arts, Boston, MA
Presented By: BeerAdvocate.com
Highlights: Friday evening: "The Night of the Funk", featuring more than 50 "funky" beers, including spontaneously-fermented beers and beers inoculated with wild yeast strains. Saturday: afternoon and evening tasting sessions, each with more than 100 Belgian and Belgian-inspired beers and beer education programs.

September 26-27: Wessex Beer Festival

Location: Royal Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England
Presented By: Rotary Club of Somer Valley
Highlights: More than 100 Real Ales and Real Ciders; wine and soft drinks available; hot and cold food stalls; live entertainment; proceeds will go to charity.

September 27-October 12: Cannstatt Beer Festival

Location: Canstatt Wasen, Stuttgart, Germany
Highlights: Billed as the world’s largest folk festival; features beer tents along with a Black Forest Experience tent, amusement rides, and laser shows and fireworks.

September 27-28: Clayton Oktoberfest

Location: Clayton, CA
Presented By: Downtown Clayton Business and Community Association
Highlights: Fifth annual event, held under Mt. Diablo; traditional biergarten with German food and beer and California wines; continuous live music; other entertainment, including street performers, marionette shows, and carnival rides; large arts and crafts show.

September 27-28: Northern Virginia Fall Beerfest

Location: Special Events Center, Bull Run Regional Park, Centreville, VA
Presented By: Vintage Restaurant and Brew Lounge
Highlights: Beer from more of 40 of the world’s best breweries pouring their beers; food; entertainment provided by local and regional bands.

September 27: Oaktoberfest IV

Location: River Oaks Hot Springs & Spa, Paso Robles, CA
Presented By: Firestone Walker Brewing Company and River Oaks Hot Springs & Spa
Highlights: An "oak-inspired" variation of Oktoberfest, with Firestone Walker and German beer tents; local wine; festivities, including the tapping of a special barrel of beer, live polka music, and a "Beer Olympics"; traditional Oktoberfest-style food; proceeds benefit the Hospice of San Luis Obispo County.

September 27: Quivey's Grove Beer Fest

Location: Quivey's Grove, Madison, WI
Highlights: Last year's fest featured more than 70 beers from 30 breweries, and live music. Details of this year's fest will be posted on the Quivey's Grove website.

September TBA: Connecticut River Brewers Fest

Location: Holyoke Canoe Club (on the banks of the Connecticut River), Holyoke, MA
Highlights: Last year's festival featured ore than 100 beers from 30 regional microbreweries, poured in a scenic festival venue; continuous live music; and food provided by Burnt Offerings BBQ. Details of this year's event will be posted on the festival website.