At craft-brew festivals, fans converge to try the latest concoctions.

On pub and brewery crawls, you'll travel by trolley, bus, bike or boat.

On a fall girlfriend getaway, we hike, eat and sip our way along the river valley.

Enjoy life on the rocks at these pop-up canteens.

On winery tours, sample fruits of the harvest.

Thanks to mutual attraction, breweries are popping up along bike trails.

In November, taste the fruits of the harvest on winery road trips.

At winery harvest festivals, compete with your feet.

More than 175 years after its founding by a Hungarian hustler, Wollersheim is basking in success.

Leinenkugel's brewery, the Old Abe bike trail and the Chippewa River draw tourists to this Wisconsin town.

Craft breweries are popping up all over, offering taprooms, music and food trucks.

At New Ulm's Bock Fest, the good times roll in on a tide of beer.

In the town that worships beer, brewery tours draw legions of fans.

Best brew fests

Quaff craft beer to your heart's content at these sampling parties.

© Milwaukee Brewfest Revelers toast the Milwaukee Brewfest in July.

At last, Americans are realizing that life is too short to drink cheap beer.

The tasteless factory lagers of our youth look awfully pathetic next to the beers now being turned out by craft brewers: sweet cream stouts, lip-smacking India pale ales, chocolatey porters, Belgian wheats flavored by coriander and orange.

In fact, it's getting hard to keep up with all the new brews, some of them wildly creative. That's where brew festivals come in.

"You'd be amazed at how many people have been introduced to good-tasting beer at these festivals,'' said Bonita Rowland of Rowland's Brewing Co. in Chilton, Wis., which has been hosting the Wisconsin Micro-Brewers Fest for more than 25 years.

Most festivals sell out, sometimes almost immediately. VIP tickets, which offer perks, are limited and usually sell out first.



The largest festival, Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, is in August, and tickets sell out as soon as they go on sale, the first Sunday of May.

Two brewery festivals also sell out: Capital's Bockfest, Feb. 22 in 2020, and Schell's Bock Fest, March 7.

So if you want to go to a beer festival, plan ahead. In 2020, many beer fests are canceled.

If you want to really wallow in beer, keep your calendar open for April and May. That's when Beer Weeks are held in Milwaukee, Madison, and Illinois. Des Moines' Beer Week is June 19-28 in 2020.

Traverse City Craft Beer Week is in Nov. 13-20 in 2020.



For tips about going to a beer festival, see Quaffing with a crowd.



For a beer-lover's tour of Milwaukee, see Mad about brew.



For a beer-lover's tour of southern Wisconsin, see Road trip: Breweries of southern Wisconsin.



© Sanderson Photography Aficionados discuss a brew at Roar on the Shore in Kewaunee, Wis.

For more about touring Twin Cities breweries, see True brew in the Twin Cities.

Here are some of the best beer festivals in 2020.

Nearly all offer food and music in addition to beer. Tickets typically are $35-$55, more if bought at the door.



Designated drivers get in at a reduced rate, sometimes as little as $5 or even free. Be sure to bring a photo I.D.

Jan. 11, Craft Beer Expo in Mankato, Minn. This festival features seminars, food, live music and tastings from more than 40 craft breweries.



Jan. 11, Chicago Ale Fest in Chicago. The winter version of this festival at Navy Pier features more than 100 beers, food trucks, games and a DJ.

Jan. 17, Minnesota Craft Brewer's Guild Winterfest in Minneapolis at US Bank Stadium. High-end beers are paired with small plates from favorite restaurants. Tickets go on sale in December and sell quickly.

Jan. 18, Isthmus Beer and Cheese Fest in Madison. Wisconsin's best beer and cheese makers supply the treats for an afternoon at Alliant Energy Center. Sample from more than 120 breweries.

© Beth Gauper Veterans of beer fests arrive with necklaces made of pretzels and, sometimes, cheese sticks and sausage.

Feb. 1, Brewfest in Fond du Lac, Wis. Try more than 200 Wisconsin microbrews at the County Fairgrounds Expo Center.

Feb. 15, Shelf Ice Brew Fest in Michigan City, Ind. The outdoor festival in the Uptown Arts District of this Lake Michigan town includes hundreds of beers and professional ice carving.



Feb. 15, Dubuque on Ice Brewfest in Dubuque, Iowa. This riverfront festival is at Mystique Ice Center and features 30 breweries, 10 wineries, food sampling and music.

Feb. 22, Michigan Winter Brew Festival in Grand Rapids, Mich. This Michigan Brewers Guild event is held outdoors at Comstock Park with nearly 1,000 beers from more than 100 breweries.



Feb. 22, The Beer Dabbler in St. Paul. This fest in the Coliseum at the State Fairgrounds includes beers from more than 180 breweries and entertainment.

Feb. 29, Naperville Winter Ale Fest in Naperville, Ill. The festival in this western Chicago suburb, outdoors in Frontier Park, includes more than 150 beers from 60 American breweries. There's also food and live music.

March 7, Cedar Rapids Beer Summit in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Sample more than 100 beers from 50 breweries at the Doubletree Convention Center, with music and food.

March 14, Hops & Props in Oshkosh, Wis. This fundraiser at the EAA Airventure Museum includes beer from more than 85 breweries, music and food from local restaurants.

March 14, Chicago Beer Festival in Chicago. Sample beer from more than 60 breweries at the Field Museum.

© Milwaukee Brewfest Milwaukee's Brewhaus Polka Kings play at Brewfest.

March 28, Roar Off the Shore Brewfest in Luxemburg, Wis. Try regional beers from more than 30 breweries and five wineries in this town near Lake Michigan.

March 28, Northern Lights Rare Beer Fest in St. Paul. This event at the Minnesota History Center features 60 limited, vintage or custom beers from 30 breweries.

April 4, Gitchee Gumee Brewfest in Superior, Wis. The Jaycees host this fest at Wessman Arena at UW-Superior, with tastings from breweries and brewpubs.

April 25, Minnesota Craft Beer Festival in Minneapolis. Sample more than 400 beers from more than 100 breweries at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

April 25, Between the Bluffs Beer, Wine and Cheese Festival in La Crosse. Sample more than 200 beers and 45 wines. There's also a Taster's Eve on Friday and a Bacon Bloody Brunch Sunday.

May 2, Chicago Beer Classic in Chicago. This fest in Soldier Field features beer from more than 75 breweries, music and seminars.

May 16, Spring Beer Festival in Traverse City, Mich. This inaugural fest will be in Turtle Creek Stadium.

May 17, Wisconsin Micro-Brewers Beer Fest in Chilton, Wis., on the east side of Lake Winnebago. More than 180 beers from 30 Wisconsin craft brewers, plus Chilton's own Rowland's Brewery beers. It's at the Calumet County Fairgrounds.

© Beth Gauper In Duluth, All Pints North is held on the harbor front.

June 6, World of Beer Festival in Glendale, Wis. This event at the Bavarian Bierhaus includes special tappings, talks and more than 350 U.S. and international beers, meads and ciders. Tickets are limited and go on sale in mid-February.

June 13, Summer Beer Fest in St. Paul. Beer from more than 100 breweries will be available at this festival in the International Bazaar area of the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

June, Milwaukee Firkin Craft Beer Festival in Milwaukee. This festival in Cathedral Square Park celebrates Milwaukee's beer heritage and includes cask-conditioned ales from more than 40 local brewers.

There will be music and food, and guests get to vote on the best Milwaukee beer.

June 20, Door County Beer Festival in Baileys Harbor, Wis. This festival includes more than 120 beers, music, a home-brewing contest and seminars on beer, cheese and food.

June 20, Wisconsin Beer Lovers Festival in Glendale, Wis. The event at Bayshore Town Center in this Milwaukee suburb is hosted by the Wisconsin Brewers Guild and features more than 100 craft beers and food pairings from local chefs.

June, Iowa Craft Brew Festival in Des Moines. The Iowa Brewers Guild festival in downtown's East Village features 300 beers from more than 50 Iowa breweries.

June 27, Lazy River Beer & Wine Festival in Marquette, Iowa. This hybrid festival is as much about wine and music as beer, but you can't beat its location on the shores of the Mississippi River.

July 11, Naperville Ale Fest in Naperville, Ill. The festival at the historic Naper Settlement includes more than 200 craft beers. There's also food and live music.

July 18, Chicago Ale Fest. This festival in Lincoln Park features more than 100 craft beers plus live music and food from Chicago restaurants. It's part of the Sheffield Street Festival.

July 25, Milwaukee Brewfest in Milwaukee. This fest at Old Coast Guard Pavilion at McKinley Park on the lakefront features more than 250 craft beers, with a German Row and a Cider Row. There will also be music, food and arts.

© At festivals, hundreds of beers are available for tasting.

Aug. 1, All Pints North Summer Brew Fest in Duluth. This festival in Bayfront Park, hosted by the Minnesota Craft Brewer's Guild, will have beers from more than 120 breweries to sample.

Aug., Wheaton Brew Fest in Wheaton, Ill. The downtown festival in this west Chicago suburb features more than 100 craft beers plus food and music.

Aug. 1, Border War Beer Fest in Kenosha, Wis. This festival in HarborPark pits Wisconsin and Illinois breweries against each other; attendees vote on the best.

Aug. 7-8, BrewHa Craft Beer Festival in Thunder Bay, Ont. This fest on Lake Superior's Prince Arthur's Landing includes music and food.

Aug. 8, Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison. Sample beers from more than 190 brewers at the largest festival in Wisconsin and the second-longest running craft beer festival in North America. Canceled in 2020.

Tickets sell out quickly; in early May, you'll need to send in a mail order or show up in person at one of various vendors in Madison. It's in Olin-Turville Park.

© Beth Gauper Millstream Brewing in Amana hosts the Festival of Iowa Beers over Labor Day weekend.

Aug. 15, Micro Brew Review in Oak Park, Ill. This zero-waste festival in downtown Oak Park features 200 beers from more than 80 breweries and food pairings from local restaurants.

It's produced by Seven Generations Ahead and the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild.

Aug. 15, Summer Beer Dabbler in St. Paul. Try more than 450 beers from 140 breweries at CHS Field in Lowertown. There will also be food trucks and live music.

Sept., U.P. Fall Beer Festival in Marquette, Mich. The Michigan Brewers Guild hosts this fest in Mattson Lower Harbor Park on Lake Superior, featuring 250 beers from 35 Michigan craft breweries. Tickets go on sale July 1.

Sept. 12, Thirsty Troll Brew Fest in Mount Horeb, Wis. Try 100 craft beers from 25 breweries in the Upper Midwest. It's held in Grundahl Park.

Sept., Great Lakes Brewfest in Racine, Wis. Sample from more than 450 craft beers, ciders and meads at the Zoological Gardens.



Sept., Isthmus Oktobeerfest in Madison, Wis. This festival on Breese Stevens Field features sampling from more than 60 breweries and wineries, a box lunch, music and yard games.

Sept. 19, Egg Harbor AleFest in Egg Harbor, Wis. The festival in this Door County town features more than 100 craft beers, home-brewing demonstrations, food and live music.

Sept., Craft Beer Expo in Rochester, Minn. Sample beer from more than 40 breweries at the Olmsted County Fairgrounds.

Oct., Northeast Wisconsin Craft Beer Festival in Green Bay, Wis. Try 200 beers from more than 50 breweries at this fest at Resch Center, which includes music, games, seminars and hors d'oeuvres.

Oct. 17, Wisconsin Dells on Tap in the Wisconsin Dells, with beer from more than 50 craft brewers. Tickets go on sale Aug. 1.

Oct., Autumn Brew Review in Minneapolis. Sample beer from more than 100 breweries at this Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild festival next to Boom Island Park in northeast Minneapolis.

Oct. 24, BeerHoptacular in Chicago. In the Great Hall of Union Station, try more than 100 beers. There will also be food trucks, helicopter rides and music.



