The fifth annual North American Organic Brewers Festival will be held at Overlook Park in Portland, Ore., this year from June 26-28. The festival drew 15,000 attendees last year who sampled over 75 organic craft beers from the U.S. and around the world. In addition to the organic beer venders, sustainability oriented vendors and nonprofits will also be setting up at the festival. This year’s festival is still shaping up and beer and other vendors are still being added.

 

The festival doubles as a charity event. Money raised from the festival will go to Willamette Riverkeeper, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and Oregon Tilth, a program that promotes organic agriculture. Festival goers are encouraged to bring three cans of food (preferably organic) to donate to the Oregon Food Bank. Those who do will get a discount on the reusable, yet compostable, cornstarch tasting glass for their beer tastings.

 

The event is free to attend, but those who want to taste the beer need to buy the tasting glass for $6 and pay $1 a ticket for beer samples. One ticket will get a sample. Four tickets will get a full glass of beer. This looks like a bargain price for an event that also includes free music throughout the day. I like the pay as you drink plan because I think it will discourage the “I’ve got to get my money’s worth” mindset. When you pay $40 or $50 or more to get into a tasting event for something like beer, people are likely to drink more than they should to get their money’s worth.

 

The North American Organic Brewers Festival will run Friday, June 26 from 12 p.m.-9 p.m., Saturday, June 27 from 12 p.m.-9 p.m., and Sunday, June 28 from 12 p.m.-5 p.m.

 

Below is an 8 ½ minute documentary from last year’s festival that lets you see what it’s all about.