June Events in MA (Boston and Beyond): Beer Festivals

If you appreciate good beer the month of June offers plenty of opportunities to enjoy it. Beer festivals area a superb way to taste new brews and celebrate the ones you already know and love, for what is usually (though sadly not always) a very decent price. Along with a crowd full of like minded beer enthusiasts, the beer drinking events also tend to provide refreshments of some sort as well as live entertainment.

The following is a list of beer drinking events taking place in Massachusetts throughout the month of June.

Harpoon Summer Session Beer Festival (Day 1)
June 5, 2009
5:30pm to 11pm (Doors close at 9:30pm)
306 Northern Ave, Boston's Waterfront
Directions by Car or MBTA

What used to be the Annual Harpoon Brew Fest is now the Harpoon Summer Session. While the beer is not free, the festival promises to bring a fun filled day of great music, great food ad of course a bunch of fellow beer lovers to meet and party with.

The Summer Session Harpoon Beer Festival event will span over two days, rain or shine. Unfortunately there is a $20 charge to get into the event and once inside you still have to pay for your drinks. You do at least get a souvenir cup and one free drink ticket with your admission fee. Also, on Friday night only, if you happen to possess a Friend of Harpoon card you can get half off the price of your entrance ticket and still get the free drink along with it. If you don't have a Friend of Harpoon card there still may be time to obtain one if you act quickly. It's free to sign up as a member and by doing so you will continue to get exclusive VIP offers from Harpoon Brewery in addition to this one. Go to Friend of Harpoon and sign up to become a friend.

Harpoon Summer Session Beer Festival (Day 2)
Saturday June 6, 2009
3pm to 10pm (Doors close at 8:30pm)
306 Northern Ave, Boston's Waterfront
Directions by Car or MBTA

Saturday is the Round 2 rendition of the Summer Session Beer Festival at Harpoon Brewery as described above. The party will essentially be similar to the one on Friday only with a different musical lineup and this time there is no discount for Friend of Harpoon members. They have announced however that there will be a VIP express line, though, which will not exist for the Summer Session Beer Festival Day 1 occasion. For those of you who are "Friends" be sure to bring your card along so you can beat the line. Note however, that it is still advised, on both Friday and Saturday, Friend of Harpoon or not, to get to the beer festival early as Harpoon expects the event to sell out. Sign up to become a VIP Friend of Harpoon Member for free here.

Blue Hills Brew Fest
Saturday, June 13, 2009
12pm-6pm
Irish Cultural Center, 200 New Boston Dr, Canton

Blue Hills Brewery, a fairly new company out of Canton, MA strives to create "great tasting beers inspired by the elements and nature around us" and offers "seasonal beers that reflect the diversity of our world and beer culture."

The Irish Cultural Center natural reserves, then seems like a perfectly fitting setting at which to host the first annual Blue Hills Beer Fest. On June 13th, the Irish Cultural Center off of Route 138 in Canton, MA will collaborate with their Blue Hills neighboring Brewery to produce a full day of music, food and six styles of tasty beer. The Irish Cultural Center is known for its hundreds of acres of beautiful natural landscaping.

Information has not been posted as of yet regarding the price of this Blue Hills Brew Fest beer drinking event, but keep an eye on the Blue Hills Brew Fest official website for the beer drinking event updates. Additionally, for more info you can email comments@bluehillsbrewery.com.

The Great Boston Beer Marathon
Saturday June 13, 2009
10:30am to 2am
26 Boston Bars

The Great Boston Experience presents a pub crawl extravaganza on Saturday, June 13 2009. This all day and all night beer drinking event is self proclaimed to be "America's Largest Single Day Pub Crawl" and it certainly looks to be an interesting time. The video advertisement featured on the Great Boston Beer Marathon website shows thousands of drunken college aged (give or take a few years) individuals sporting matching beer marathon t-shirts, beaded necklaces and Viking helmets. The video clip also does a fantastic job summing up the beer drinking event in its entirety. As scenes display party goers lined up for all sorts of beer guzzling fun a few very telling words flash across the screen one by one. They Read:
Willpower. Strength. Endurance.
One Sport. Challenges
Your Mind.
Your Spirit.
And Your Liver.

This beer festival event will kickoff at the House of Blues at 10:30am where you can register to participate and get a bunch of free stuff, including the Viking helmet. The fee to participate is $25 online or $30 at the door. For more information or to sign up visit the Great Boston Beer Marathon website.

American Craft Beer Fest
Friday, June 19, 2009 (Friday Session: 6pm-9:30pm)
Saturday, June 20, 2009 (Session One: 1pm-4:30pm)
Saturday, June 20, 2009 (Session Two: 6-9:30pm)
World Trade Center, 200 Seaport Blvd, Boston

The American Craft Beer Fest (ABCF) will host its annual celebration of American Craft Beer on June 19 and 20, 2009 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston. While there certainly will be plenty of opportunities to drink beer, this festival is more about beer education and appreciation than getting wasted; there is even a lineup of lectures on various beer educational topics.

It is more like a beer expo than a beer festival. For any beer enthusiast interested in sampling some original American brews this event promises to satisfy. For $40 you get entry into one of the Friday or Saturday sessions, all the 2oz beer samples you can get, a festival guide to all of the 75 craft beer exhibits and a tasting cup. There will be 300 beers available to taste.

For more information on this beer event or to buy tickets visit the ACBF website.

Green River Brew Fest
Saturday, June 27, 2009
12am to 5pm
Ryan and Casey Liquors, 55 Main Street, Greenfield, MA

It is once again time for the annual Green River Brew Fest Beer Festival sponsored by Ryan and Casey Liquors in Greenfield, MA. The beer drinking event runs from noon until 5pm and will take place rain or shine outdoors under a few big tents next to the Ryan and Casey Liquor Store. A $20 entry ticket gets you access to 100's of beer samples which you have unlimited opportunity to taste, a collectors pint glass, a food ticket and chance to win door prizes. There will also be live music and a cigar bar. The proceeds of the event will go to the Seeds of Solidarity "Farm and School Program". For info on how to purchase a ticket, directions, and any other relevant info, visit Ryan and Casey Liquors.

Nashua River Brewers Fest
Saturday, June 27, 2009
1pm to 7pm
Riverfront Park, Downtown Fitchburg, MA

The 2nd Annual Nashua River Brewers Festival beer drinking event promises to present a full days worth of good music, good food and great beer. Lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged as this is an outdoor event. A ticket costs $10 in advance and $12 at the door and along with entry to the festivities you will receive a complimentary collectible beer sampling glass and the option to taste all available beers for $1 a sample. The Nashua River Beer Festival is a charity event and proceeds will benefit Fitchburg Civic Days. For more information visit BeersForGood.com.