Ah…I Can Feel Festival Season Officially Growing Near….

As I write this, I have the windows wide open and a beer in hand. The evening is cooling off from a day during which temperatures nearly reached eighty, there was plenty of sunshine, and quite frankly, I couldn’t wait to get home to pour something – anything – into a glass, breathe in a little fresh air, and enjoy whatever daylight remained from the day. I had known that I wanted to sit down and collect a few dates for upcoming beer festivals happening in Virginia this evening, but I had been oblivious as to just how closely the subject matter and how I would be enjoying the time I spent typing it out would be related. And while it might seem like a far leap between sitting in an apartment with a single beer to attending a beer festival with dozens available, really, the two aren’t that far apart, at least in one respect. Yes, there are plenty of great festivals held in the non summer months. But quite simply, I’ll never stop saying that there’s nothing like enjoying a a great craft beer on a beautiful warm day, something that I’m doing now, and something that I hope to be doing while attending at least a couple of the many Virginia craft beer festivals in the coming months.

Of course, the main attraction is the beer. We all love events such as tap takeovers and tastings at bars and restaurants. But festivals, obviously, potentially offer the best chance to try beers you have never had the chance to taste before. There will hopefully be styles you’ve never experienced, yet wanted to try, and individual beers that you won’t forget. This is, after all, possibly the best opportunity to answer questions you’ve had about kinds of beers you might not have ever had a chance to try. And best of all, perhaps you will try a beer or two that will set you off to find similar ones in the weeks or months after the festival, a singular experience which will continue to pay dividends long after you leave the festival grounds.

Oh, and chances are, you’ll attend one or more of these festivals with similar craft beer loving friends, and basically, have a blast.

Some of these are coming up this weekend, while others are later in the summer and even reach into the fall. Check out ones nearby, or make a road trip out of one or two. One in particular to watch and check out is the National Beer Expo in Richmond, notable for being a multi-day event with plenty to take in every single day.

Now, here a just a few festivals upcoming in our state….

Virginia Hops and Barley Midlothian VA May 10

The Virginia Beer & Wine Festival, Daleville, VA May 10

The Natural Bridge Beer Festival, Natural Bridge VA May 17

Virginia Beer Festival, Norfolk VA May 17 & 18

Lake Anna Brewfest, Mineral VA May 17

Valley Fest Beer and Wine Festival, McGaheysville, VA (Massanutten Resort) May 24

Big Lick Beertopia, Salem, VA (Lewis Gale Field) June 7

Hops & Howlers Craft Brew Fest, Abingdon VA June 14

Northern Virginia Summer BrewFest, Leesburg VA June 21 & 22

Beer Festival at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA June 28

Summer BrewFest, Norfolk VA July 11