Oregon Brewers Festival
The festival in 2007
BeginsThursday before last full weekend in July[1]
EndsLast Sunday in July
FrequencyAnnual
Location(s)Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Portland, Oregon
Years active1988–2019, 2022, 2024-
Participants85,000 (2014)[2]

Oregon Brewers Festival (OBF) is a four-day craft beer festival held annually from 1988 to 2019 and 2022 at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park in downtown Portland, Oregon, except in 2020-21 when the COVID-19 pandemic and 2023 when low attendance and hot weather from last year caused it to be cancelled.[1] OBF has become the most popular outdoor beer festival in North America, based on attendance.[3] Each brewery brings one beer.[1][4] The attendance peaked in 2014, however it has been declining since.[5] There is a Root Beer Garden for those who are under 21 or loathe alcohol.

History

Founder of Portland Brewing Co, Art Larrance,[6] launched the Oregon Brewers Festival in July 1988, after visiting Oktoberfest in Munich and wanting to create a similar atmosphere and experience.[7]

Year Sample
size[8]
19916 oz
19946 oz
19965 oz
19976 oz
20015 oz
20024 oz
20036 oz
20054 oz
20074 oz
20104 oz
20124 oz
20133 oz
2014[9]3 oz

Live music was introduced in 2001.[10]

In 2005, OBF expanded from a three-day schedule (Friday to Sunday) to four, adding Thursday.[11]

The 2011 Oregon Brewers Festival featured 85 craft beers from 14 states; it attracted 80,000 people over four days.[12] Nearly 2,000 volunteers worked at the festival, selling tokens and pouring beer, among other tasks.[12]

In 2013, OBF added a fifth day, moving the opening to Wednesday; they also replaced the annual plastic mug, which had been used since the festival's beginning, with a tasting glass, which for 2013 costs $7.[11] For 2014, there are 88 beers available, in 30 styles; that does not include the more than 100 available separately in OBF's Specialty Tent.[13]

After two years with tasting glasses made of glass, for 2015, OBF switched to a polycarbonate tasting glass; the change was in response to safety concerns raised by the Portland Police.[2]

In 2018, OBF changed back to a four-day festival, moving the opening to Thursday. That same year, the festival added two hard ciders to the lineup, and four wines –– 2 red and 2 white –– for the first time in the festival's history.

In 2020 & 2021, this festival went on hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; although it resumed in 2022, it was cancelled in 2023 and could resume in 2024.

In recent years OBF has anchored a month of beer-related festivals in Portland, including the North American Organic Brewers Festival, the Portland International Beerfest, and the Great American Distillers Festival.[14]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "FAQ". Oregon Brewers Festival. Archived from the original on 2011-10-28. Retrieved 2011-10-14.
  2. 1 2 Hale, Jamie (April 17, 2015). "Oregon Brewers Festival will stop using glass after Portland police cite safety concerns". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2015-07-09. Retrieved 2015-07-08.
  3. ↑ Foyston, John (July 23, 2014). "Beer begins flowing at 'America's Oktoberfest'". CNN. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2015-07-08.
  4. ↑ Perry, Douglas (July 24, 2008). "Brewers Fest FAQ: What you need to know". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2011-10-14.
  5. ↑ "Has Portland's Beer Festival Scene Been Tapped Out?". New School Beer + Cider. Archived from the original on 2021-02-21. Retrieved 2021-02-27.
  6. ↑ "Beer Birthday: Art Larrance - Brookston Beer Bulletin". brookstonbeerbulletin.com. 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2023-05-11.
  7. ↑ "About". Oregon Brewers Festival. Retrieved 2023-05-11.
  8. ↑ Dunlop, Pete (July 21, 2013). "What's Up with OBF Pour Sizes, Anyway?". BeervanaBuzz.com. Archived from the original on 2017-09-19. Retrieved 2013-07-26.
  9. ↑ Cheney, Cathy (July 14, 2014). "Oregon Brewers Festival fans: It's that time again". Portland Business Journal. Archived from the original on 2014-07-20. Retrieved 2014-07-21.
  10. ↑ Miller, Trisha; Schrag, John (July 11, 2001). "Beer Wars". News Buzz. Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2011-10-14.
  11. 1 2 Foyston, John (February 5, 2013). "Wednesday is the new Thursday: Oregon Brewers Festival will grow to five days this year". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2013-02-09. Retrieved 2013-05-03.
  12. 1 2 Culverwell, Wendy (August 2, 2011). "Brew Fest breaks attendance record". Portland Business Journal. Archived from the original on 2023-01-14. Retrieved 2011-10-14.
  13. ↑ Harrison, Lacey. "Hopped Up Eugene – The Oregon Brewers Festival". EugeneDailyNews.com. Archived from the original on 2014-07-17. Retrieved 2014-07-21.
  14. ↑ Watts, Joseph (June 25, 2008). "Brew Fest breaks attendance record". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on February 10, 2013. Retrieved 2011-10-14.

45°30′58″N 122°40′21″W / 45.516°N 122.6726°W / 45.516; -122.6726

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