Marquette has been hop-in’ for Craft Beer Week as beer lovers look forward to and prepare their stomachs to imbibe more brews at Beer Fest this weekend.
Marquette’s ninth annual U.P. Fall Beer Festival is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 9. Over 600 local brews will be on tap at Mattson Lower Harbor Park and samples will be poured from approximately 90 Michigan breweries, including Right Brain Brewery, Bell’s Brewery, Blackrocks Brewery, Founder’s Brewing Co. and Ore Dock Brewing Co.
“The festival is not only about promoting and selling Michigan craft beer, but having a nice time with like-minded people,” Scott Grahm, executive director of Michigan’s Brewer’s Guild said. Grahm, who has been involved with Michigan’s Brewer’s Guild for over 20 years, described Saturday’s upcoming event as being a “big beer party.”
“It’s great for someone just starting to get into beer, and really great for those who have been passionate about craft beer for awhile,” Grahm said.
Since drinking good beer is an experience meant to be shared, everyone over the age of 21 is invited to join in the festivities.
In order to make the most of your time at the beer festival, Grahm suggested downloading the BeerFestList app where you can find a detailed list of available beer and a map of the vendors attending.
Whether you’re an India Pale Ale or a Lager fan, Grahm commented that choosing a style of beer is one of the best places to start when planning your sampling.
The U.P. Fall Beer Festival is succeeding a week of celebrating Michigan brews as a part of
Marquette’s second annual Craft Beer Week, which is running Sept. 5 through Sept. 10.
“In their second year, the events are getting bigger and better with more creativity and
companies getting involved,” said Anna Dravland, who heads Community Relations and Event Marketing for Travel Marquette.
Craft Beer Week events range from beer tastings to tap takeovers. Furthermore, it’s not just locals who enjoy these events that extend into the weekend and include the larger scale festival—Marquette’s tourism also experiences a major influx, Dravland said.
“I know that, in recent years, Beer Fest has grown to be a staple event for Marquette with a guaranteed sell out,” Dravland added.
U.P Fall Beer Festival runs from 1 p.m. through 6 p.m. on Saturday. A limited amount of
tickets to the event are still available for $40 online and on-site at The Vierling, Blackrocks Brewery, Ore Dock Brewing Co. and the Marquette Food Co-Op. Tickets will also be available for sale at the event entrance for $45. Each admission ticket includes 15 individual drink tickets.
