The 16th annual Holiday Ale Festival kicks off on Wednesday, November 30, 2011 and festively occupies Pioneer Courthouse Square through Sunday, December 4.
Sure, the weather will likely be crappy, but fest goers stay warm and dry (and claustrophobic) under a sprawling tent covering most of the square. And the beer list? It’s amazing!
The $25 tasting package includes a mug [bah humbug – previous years’ mugs not permitted], 8 beer tickets and a wristband that you can use to get in “free” for the whole 5 days of the festival [bah humbug – does anyone really do this? – the wristband must be left on “no exceptions”, so no removing it for sleeping or bathing]. Additional tasting tickets are a $1 each. No kids at this festival, must be over 21 to enter the tent. The $25 package can be purchased at the door or in advance.
Another option is the advance VIP ticket for $50, which includes the festival mug, 20 beer tickets, express entry to the fest all days, bottled water, and VIP beer line access. Whew! Buy your VIP ticket online.
Buy your tickets, download the festival program (pdf), and you’re set! Visit HolidayAle.com, the fest Facebook page, and follow @HolidayAle on twitter for more festival details.
Last year, they started the wristband thing. Going in the first day, I asked they put it on ‘a little loose’. I was then able to slip it on and off as needed over the weekend. Whether or not that’ll happen this year is always a crap shoot, but I figure it can’t hurt to ask.