Fresh Northwest Hops to Headline 11th Annual Hood River Hops Fest

With the heat of summer in full swing our regions hop crops are getting closer to harvest. This also means another season of fresh hop festivals, something we have very unique here in the Pacific Northwest. One of our favorites, Hood River Hops Fest will be celebrating their 11th anniversary on Saturday, September 27th in downtown Hood River, Oregon and tickets are now on-sale.

After last year’s damp and rainy festival we sure hope the weather is much more cooperative this year. Once again this year’s Hood River Hops Fest will be located in the heart of downtown Hood River across from Full Sail Brewing. The festival kicks off at 11:00 am with a V.I.P. sipping hour, when attendees can preview their favorite ales without standing in lines. Then beginning at Noon the event space opens for all others and will run until 9:00pm.

Featuring one of the largest fresh hop beer selections in the nation, Hood River prepares to welcome thousands for its one-day craft beer festival. Hood River Hops Fest showcases more than 45 fresh-hop beers from over three-dozen breweries for beer lovers to sample, along with local wine and cuisine.

Fresh hop beers will be featured from local breweries including Full Sail Brewing, Pfriem Family Brewers, Double Mountain Brewery, Big Horse Brewing, Logston Farmhouse Ales, Walking Man Brewing, Solera, Everybody’s Brewing and Backwoods Brewing Company, as well as many other regional breweries and a few national ones as well.

“Northwest beer drinkers love their hops,” said Mike Glover, Executive Director of the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce, host of the event. “Hood River Hops Fest is one of country’s the longest-running beer festivals specializing in the unique flavor of seasonal, fresh hop beer. We look forward to welcoming people during the peak harvest season to savor all the area has to offer.”

Hood River Hops Fest Fun Facts:

• Ranking of Hood River among U.S. cities* for number of breweries per capita: 1
• Anticipated number of fresh-hop beers: 45+
• Anticipated number of breweries in attendance: 30+
• Number of attendees in 2013: 6,000
• Number of breweries within a one-mile radius of event: 4
• Number of breweries within a 20 minute drive of event: 6
• Number of days in which freshly harvested hops can mold: 3
• Number of farms, wineries and fruit stands along the 35-mile Hood River Fruit Loop: 32

*Cities with more than one brewery.

The beer isn’t the only thing to partake in at the Hood River Hops Fest. The bands performing this year include:

• Bearwater Band
• Tess Barr Blues Band
• Sidestreet Reny
• Tony Smiley
• Manimal House

Here are the Hood River Hops Fest event details:

WHEN
Saturday, September 27, 2014. Open to all ages from 12-5 pm, and adults ages 21 and over from 5-9 p.m. V.I.P. hour begins at 11 am (requires tickets pre-purchased online).

WHERE
Downtown Hood River, Ore., in the Columbia Parking Lot (between 5th & 7th Streets and Cascade Avenue and Columbia Street).

COST
Adults age 21 and over
$10 General Admission: Includes a commemorative mug and four 3-ounce taste tokens; $1 each for additional taste tokens.
$20 V.I.P Admission: Includes a commemorative mug and eight 3-ounce taste tokens, as well as early (11 am) entry into the event; $1 each for additional taste tokens.

Wine drinkers and designated drivers
$4 General Admission

Adults and youth age 20 and under?
Free admission. Note: The venue is open to adults only from 5pm until closing at 9pm.

PURCHASE TICKETS
Tickets can be purchased in advance through Brown Paper Tickets, or at the entrance the day of the event. VIP tickets available online only.

MORE INFORMATION
Call the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce at (541) 386-2000 or visit the official Hood River Hops Fest Website and Facebook page.