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2013 Ohio beer festivals


Mark your calendars. Ohio is filled with beer festivals to attend. Some such as the Cincy Winter Beerfest in Cincinnati will draw thousands. Others will attract hundreds. I’ve tried to compile a rundown of all the beer festivals in the state in 2013. The list is incomplete. Again this year, some organizers didn’t get back to me. Or a date or location hadn’t been selected yet. Or I couldn’t find information on the festival online. If you are aware of a festival or event not listed here, email me at rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com and I will add it. This list will be updated throughout the year. Click on the festival name for more info and if there’s no link, there’s no dedicated website to link to:

• Jan. 11-12: The third annual Columbus Winter Beerfest at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus. The event will feature about 300 beers. Organizers are projecting attendance to hit 10,000.

• Jan. 25: The 37th annual Sugartown Express benefit for the American Diabetes Association of Northeast Ohio. The fundraiser includes a craft beer tasting featuring five breweries from Northeast Ohio.

• Jan. 26: The second annual MSD Brew Ha-Ha at the Montessori School of Dayton in Kettering. The event is a fundraiser for the school.

• Jan. 26: Wood Aged Event at the Buckeye Beer Engine in Lakewood.

• Feb. 2: AleFest Columbus.

• Feb. 7-14: The second annual Cincinnati Beer Week. There are events throughout the community. Cincinnati-area brewers also collaborated on a beer together.

• Feb. 11-17: The ninth annual Ogrefest at The Brew Kettle in Strongsville.

• Feb. 15-16: The sixth annual Cincy Winter Beerfest at the Duke Energy Convention Center Cincinnati. The event will feature about 350 beers. Organizers are projecting attendance to hit 14,000.

• Feb. 23: The Winter Warmer Festival at Windows on the River in the Powerhouse in Cleveland.

• March 1: The seventh annual Glass City Beer Fest at the Lucas County Recreation Center in Maumee.

• March 1-3: Bockfest at Bockfest Hall, also known as the Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. events center, and other locations throughout the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood in Cincinnati. Organizers say it’s the world’s largest bockfest and celebration of bock beer.

• March 2: AleFeast Dayton.

• March 8: The sixth annual Art & Ale at the Akron Art Museum in Akron.

• March 8-9: The first Ultimate Craft Beer Extravaganza at the Dayton Convention Center in Dayton. Organizers are promoting more than 350 beers and unlimited tastings.

• March 22-23: The Headstrong Strong Ale Fest at the Fat Head's brewpub in North Olmsted.

• March 23: StarkBier Fest at Listermann Brewing/Triple Digit Brewing in Cincinnati. It's a celebration of strong beers with more than 7.5 percent alcohol by volume.

• April 19: The seventh annual 420 HopFest at the Buckeye Beer Engine in Lakewood.

• April 20: The fourth annual Big Tap In at The Shepherd Event Center in Boardman.

• April 27: The Grove City Lions Club Spring Craft Beer Fest at Beulah Park in Grove City.

• May 4: CANCELED: Hippy Sippy Festival at the Fat Head's production brewery in Middleburg Heights. It's a celebration of the brewery's new imperial stout and will feature big beers and music from the 1970s.

• June 8: Heavyweight Brewer's Brawl at Fat Head's Brewery & Saloon in North Olmsted.

• June 14-15: The eighth annual Jungle Jim’s International Beer Fest in Cincinnati. The event features more than 350 beers and 100 breweries.

• June 15: The first World of Beer Easton Craft Beerfest at the World of Beer Easton location in Columbus.

• June 15: The Grandview Digfest on Yard Street in Grandview. It features 13 breweries from the Columbus area.

• June 20: The second annual Rhythm & Brews, a fundraiser for Arc of Summit County at the Canton Cultural Center in Canton.

• June 21-29: The eighth annual Ohio Brew Week in Athens. The event features more than 200 Ohio-made craft beers served at 33 venues around town. It also includes dinners, speeches and demonstrations.

• July 13: The All About Beer Magazine World Beer Festival at the North Coast Harbor in Cleveland.

• July 26-27: Burning River Fest at the Historic Coast Guard Station on Whiskey Island in Cleveland. The event features beer from Great Lakes Brewing Co. And yes, this year the festival moves to a Friday-Saturday format.

• July 27: Blues & Brews at Lock 3 in downtown Akron. The event features about 75 breweries and more than 200 beers.

•  August (specific date TBD): The fourth annual Columbus Summer Beerfest at the LC Pavilion in Columbus. The event features more than 200 beers.

• Aug. 9-11: The third annual Rivers, Trails & Ales Festival in Marietta. The event features cycling, paddling, music and beer at various locations.

• Aug. 17-24: Dayton Beer Week. The event includes activities throughout the community.

• Aug. 24: AleFest Dayton.

• Aug. 30-Sept. 2: Cleveland Labor Day Oktoberfest at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds in Berea. The event includes a microbrew competition.

•  September (specific date TBD): Trucktoberfest at the Fat Head's production brewery in Middleburg Heights. The event will feature Octoberfest beers and food trucks.

•  Sept. 13-14: The fifth annual Cincy Beerfest at Fountain Square in Cincinnati. The event features about 250 craft beers.

• Sept. 13-15: The 15th annual Ohio Pawpaw Festival in Albany. The event celebrates the native Ohio fruit and breweries create beers using paw paw. The official website (click here) hasn't been updated yet.

• Sept. 13-15: The North Market Microbrew Festival  at the North Market in Columbus.

• Sept. 14: The second annual Chardon Brewfest  will be held in downtown Chardon.

• Sept. 20-22: Oktoberfest Zinzinnati in Cincinnati. The event celebrates the community’s German heritage and includes the world’s largest Chicken Dance. More than half a million people attend. Moerlein Lager House is partnering with Paulaner Brauerei to offer a wide selection of Oktoberfest beers.

• Sept. 21: The first octoBREWfest Firkins, Frankfurters, Farmer's Food & Fall Seasonals beer festival at the Shepherd Event Center in Boardman.

• Oct. 5: Big Beers & Barley Wines in Dayton. The event pays tribute to big beers and barley wines.

• Oct. 5: Celebration of the Hop at Fat Head's Brewery & Saloon in North Olmsted.

• Oct. 5: The first Youngstown BeerFest at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown.

• Oct. 18-26: Cleveland Beer Week. The week involves beer-related events around the city.

• Oct. 26: Brewzilla at the Galleria in downtown Cleveland. The festival concludes Cleveland Beer Week.

• Nov. 16: Holiday Beer and Breweriana Extravaganza at the Moerlein Lager House in Cincinnati. The event features holiday beers from around the world and beer experts appraising breweriana for free.

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