Summer Beer Festivals in Sonoma!

One of the best things about summer in Sonoma County – beyond our wonderful warm weather and longer daylight hours – is the rich calendar of beer festivals. So raise a mug, gather a growler, and get your suds on at these favorite gatherings.

Check out our Sonoma County’s Breweries page for details on all breweries and beers.

25th Annual Beerfest – The Good One (June 11, 2016)

Luther Burbank Center transforms into a lavish beer garden, populated by more than 60 of NorCal’s best microbreweries. Ready your palate to savor unlimited sips of more than 120 unique brews (from your own souvenir Beerfest glass), with delicious Sonoma County gourmet food bites available for purchase. And you can feel good having this much fun, since the event is a fundraiser for Face to Face, dedicating to ending HIV.

14th Russian River Beer Revival & BBQ Cookoff (Aug. 20, 2016)

Stumptown Brewery in Guerneville is serious about its beer – VIP tickets to this boisterous event include a “Beer Revival Survival Kit.” Showcasing 30 Breweries and unlimited beer tasting from 1 to 5 p.m., moderation is key, but fun is a must. And with 30 barbecue teams working their magic with meats, there’s plenty to soak up the booze. Located right on the Russian River, the party rocks out with live music and some 3,000 guests.

It always sells out, and here’s a tip: shell out the extra $10 for a shuttle bus ticket if you don’t have a designated driver; it picks you up behind Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, bring you to Stumptown, and shuttles you back after the event. It’s all for a good cause, too, since proceeds benefit West County Community Services’ Russian River Senior Resource Center.

11th Annual Taste of Petaluma (Aug. 20, 2016)

More than 60 of Petaluma’s microbreweries, chefs, food purveyors and wineries set up sampling booths across historic downtown. Tickets include a tote bag and cup; just a few of the beers and bites include beer barbecue pulled pork sliders, Jamison’s Roaring Donkey beer garden, and Petaluma Hills Brewery beer ice cream floats.

Ready, Set, Growl Beer Festival (Aug. 28, 2016)

This 3rd annual gathering is already the largest of it’s kind in California, and offers a unique combo: a run with the Santa Rosa Marathon, plus beer tastings from your own 32 oz. custom growler. First, you race the full, half or 5k course. Then, if you’re 21 or older, your entry fee includes two tastings outside of the beer festival. The other option is to just go to the festival and play, indulging in unlimited tastes of more than 30 micro-brewed beers along with food.

29th Annual Beer in the Plaza (Sept. 12, 2016)

Healdsburg Plaza plays host to more than 35 breweries offering specialty hand-crafted beer in unlimited tastes. For pairing pleasure, there is food for sale from S Club, El Farolito, The Wurst, and Café Lucia, while for dancing joy, there is live music by Gator. Beat. For 21 and older, tickets include beer, souvenir glass, and five food tickets, while in a rare thing for beer festivals, this event is family friendly (for food only). Proceeds benefit Soroptomist International of Healdsburg community service programs including educational scholarships, youth programs, and YWCA Women’s Safehouse.

Petaluma Rivercraft Beer Festival (Sept. 17, 2016)

The Riverfront roars to life with 20+ local microbreweries, tasty food bites and festive promenade strolls. Just a few of the notable names include Henhouse, Petaluma Hills, Lagunitas, Fogbelt, St. Florian’s, Dempsey’s, Woodfour, Plow and Sonoma Springs.