Maine Brewers Festival 2008

The 15th annual Maine Brewers Festival will be held on Saturday, November 1, 2008. This festival celebrates the quality of micro-brewed craft products. Maine’s craft brewers showcase their newest and most popular brews. Great food, door prizes, interesting vendors, and fantastic music round out the experience. This event has become an anticipated New England tradition. We hope you'll join us for fun, friends, and most importantly, great beer!


NEW FOR 2008!!!
Friday Night Dinner With The Brewers!

Have some fun and Learn Your Beer at the First Annual Friday Night Dinner With the Brewers event on the eve before the show, October 31! This is a great new addition to the Maine Brewers Festival, hosted by The Clarion Hotel, that will allow you meet and learn from your favorite Maine brewers. This is a Maine Brewers Festival enhanced-ticket package that includes:

• A pre-dinner panel discussion with 4 Maine brewers about 1 or 2 beers that they each bring to the dinner, many of which you’ll have a chance to pair with your dinner.

* Whoa! What a line-up of favorite Maine brewers we’ll feature, with brewing masters from Gritty's, Allagash, Shipyard, and Atlantic Brewing from Bar Harbor!

• Q&A from the audience session, moderated by Bill Metzer, co-publisher of Yankee Brew News

• Dinner at Portland’s beautiful and convenient Clarion Hotel

• Great, live background music!

• Admission to the regular Saturday festival, either the Happy Hour session or the evening session

• Each dinner table features a brewery employee. Each table of attendees has a chance to talk with, and learn from, a brewing expert while they're enjoying dinner.

• A limited edition, full-color, full sized Maine Brewers Festival beer mug, and other good schwag!

Saturday Event Schedule
Happy Hour Session: 2:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

• Doors open at 1:30 p.m.
• Taps open at 2:00 p.m.
• Food sales start @ 1:30 p.m.

Evening Session: 7:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

• Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
• Taps open at 7:00 p.m.
• Food sales start @ 6:30 p.m. Taps close 15 minutes prior to session end, allowing you time to enjoy your final brew.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Please allow extra time for the ID process to gain admission.

No backpacks or large bags are allowed per security measures. Coat check available inside.

Weather Considerations - If it's an unusually warm fall day we suggest bringing a pair of shorts along. This is an indoor event and the Expo does not have air conditioning capabilities. Add a little dancing to your experience (which we find often happens) and voila! heat is generated. We want you to be comfortable and hope this advice is helpful!

Designated Drivers - Yes, we do make provisions for designated drivers. Designated drivers will purchase their tickets in the normal manner. Upon arrival they will exchange their drink tickets for a meal coupon and Icelandic Glacial water coupons. They may keep their souvenir tasting glass. It is essential that anyone interested in this option contact us by e-mail prior to October 20, 2008 to make arrangements.

Parking - There is limited parking behind the Expo. There is a parking lot between the Portland Expo and the Portland Ice Arena, with another lot at the rear of that lot, towards Fitzpatrick Stadium. Parking for the event fills up fast and there is usually an event at the Stadium the day of the beer festival. Check back here for more details about parking as we get closer to the event date.

Carpooling - Interested in ride sharing to the Maine Brewers Fest?

Sign up here for an account and become a member of a growing and dynamic community. It is free to join and to use. PickupPal members can track the number of rides they have given or taken and the number of miles they have traveled via ride sharing and the Maine Brewers Festival can keep track of the amount of carbon emissions we have collectively reduced as a result! Help us help the planet!