New Beer Festival Finds Ways to Set Itself Apart

July is Oregon Craft Beer Month and right away there's a brand spanking new beer festival happening. The Portland Craft Beer Festival is taking place over the 4th of July weekend, Friday through Sunday, at The Fields Park.

In Portland our cup runneth over with beer goodness including a vast array of beer festivals so new entries into the crowded field need to find a way to differentiate themselves from the pack. The biggest thing that sets the #PCBF apart from the rest is that you'll find beers made exclusively IN Portland - nothing from Bend, nothing from Lake Oswego, nothing from Hillsboro. That doesn't however mean the beer won't be plentiful. Attendees can expect to find beers from 45 breweries as well as ciders from Reverend Nat's and Cider Riot, wines from Coopers Hall and those delicious difficult-to-categorize fizzy wines from Hi Wheel.

Another thing that sets #PCBF apart is that they are attempting to strike a balance between a 21+ festival and a family friendly festival. If you're like me and prefer the lil'uns to be somewhere besides the beer festival, go on Friday or Saturday. If you don't mind knee-high humans and strollers or if you have them and want to bring them along, attend on Sunday when the festival is family friendly. And by family friendly they don't just mean you don't need to prove you're 21 to enter, they'll also have a family yoga class, children's market and free vision testing for kids by The Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation. The Oregon Lions is one of three charities, along with the James Beard Public Market and the Oregon Brew Crew, that funds from the festival will benefit.

Portland Craft Beer Festival
Friday, July 3, 4 - 10 pm | Saturday, July 4, 12 - 10 pm | Sunday, July 5, 12 - 7 pm
The Fields Park, NW 11th Ave & Overton
Tickets: $20 both at the door & in advance but if you buy them by July 2 you get 15 tickets instead of 10 in addition to your tasting mug