Hop, hop, hooray: It’s time for fall beer fests around the ’burbs
There’s a bevy of beer events brewing around the suburbs as we get closer to Oktoberfest, so hop to one of these upcoming festivals.
Saturday, Sept. 6
• More than 20 breweries will participate in the 14th annual Illinois Brews @ Bowes Creek fundraiser at Bowes Creek Country Club. General admission tickets are $55 in advance and include admission to the main event from 4-8 p.m. for the craft and home brew beer tasting, snacks and a 5-ounce tasting mug. VIP ticket ($75) holders get in an hour earlier and have access to exclusive beer, whiskey and cocktail tastings. Hosted by the Elgin Parks & Recreation Foundation, ticket sales from the event support the Recreation Youth Scholarship Fund, which provides free access to Elgin Parks programs for at-risk kids. elginparksfoundation.org/ilbrewsatbowes.
Saturday, Sept. 13
• The Annual Bourbon & Beer Festival is back for its 17th year from 6-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at The Vine, 101 Center St., Grayslake. Sample beer and whiskey while enjoying live music, food vendors and cigars. The $50 general admission tickets include entry at 7 p.m. and samplings. The $80 VIP tickets offer entry at 6 p.m. and access to the VIP area with a private bathroom, seating, live music, a covered bar and special samplings, as well as a free commemorative poster. bnbfest.com/.
• The 10th annual Elmhurst Craft Beer Fest will highlight craft beers, meads, ciders and seltzers from over 50 brewers from 2-6 p.m. Sept. 13 on the grounds of the Elmhurst History Museum at 120 E. Park Ave. The $45 general admission tickets include a 3-ounce commemorative tasting glass and 18 drink tickets. The $55 early-entry tickets get you in at 1 p.m. Prices include live music and light snacks. The event supports the Elmhurst History Museum and Churchville One Room Schoolhouse. elmhurstcraftbeerfest.com.
Friday and Saturday, Sept. 19-20
• Oktoberfest in Libertyville brings the sounds and tastes of Germany to the back lot at Mickey Finn’s Brewery, 345 N. Milwaukee Ave. Enjoy live music both days while sampling a selection of beers and taking part in Bavarian sports like Hammerschlagen or Masskrugstemmen. Food will be available for purchase. Hours are 5-10 p.m., with “Family Garten” hours from 1-4 p.m. Saturday. General admission tickets are $25 each day and include a plastic stein and one beer ticket. VIP tickets are $50 and include two beer tickets, a commemorative ceramic stein and a tour of Mickey Finn’s Brewery. Weekend tickets start at $40. Additional beer tickets can be purchased by credit card only at the 21-and-older event. mainstreetlibertyville.org/events/libertyville-1/oktoberfest/.
Saturday, Sept. 20
• Sixteen local breweries will bring beer, ales and ciders to the Batavia Park District’s Pints by the Pond at the Peg Bond Center, 151 Island Ave. The event, which runs from 2-5 p.m., features music and food trucks. General admission tickets are $50 and include 20 3-ounce samples and a commemorative beer glass. $65 VIP tickets include early entry at 1 p.m., plus some swag. bataviaparks.org/pints-by-the-pond.
• Sample craft beer while enjoying the great outdoors at The Great Outdoors Beer Trail from 1-5 p.m. along the Fel-Pro RRR Conservation Area in Cary. Walk the one-mile, partially wooded, paved trail while visiting various regional brewers along the way. You can also play a pickup game of bags, listen to music and order from local food trucks. $70 general admission tickets are available on EventBrite for the 21-and-older event and include 3-ounce tastes from multiple brewers and a souvenir tasting glass.
• Sip on beers from Sew Hop’d Brewery and Tangled Roots during the Randall Oaks Brew at the Zoo event from 3-7 p.m. Take tours of the zoo, listen to live music, play lawn games, and participate in raffles and silent auctions. Wine and “On The Rocks” cocktails will be available as well as food trucks. Tickets are $40 for zoo members and $45 for nonmembers.
Saturday, Sept. 27
• The Wheaton Park District is hosting the new HOPtober Fest at Memorial Park, 225 Karlskoga Ave. The 21-and-older event, which runs from 1-5 p.m., will feature beers, seltzers, ciders and live music. Proceeds support the DuPage County Historical Museum. General admission tickets are $45 in advance and $50 at the event. wheatonparkdistrict.com/events/9-28-hoptober-fest/.
Sunday, Sept. 28
The Hoosier Grove Barn & Brew Oktoberfest is back in Streamwood with more than 20 brewers serving an assortment of biers, ciders, wine and meads. The event from 1-5 p.m. includes food and live Oktoberfest music from Die Kellerknaben. Participating brewers include Art History Brewing, Brother Chimp Brewing, Obscurity Brewing, Tangled Roots Brewing and more. General admission tickets are $45 in advance or $50 at the gate and include 15 3-ounce samples and a souvenir glass or mug. streamwoodparks.org/oktoberfest/.
Friday through Sunday, Oct. 3-5
Buffalo Creek Brewing, 360 Historical Lane, Long Grove, hosts its annual three-day Oktoberfest with authentic oompah music, Bavarian beer games, food and, of course, Oktoberfest beer. The family-friendly festival is free. buffalocreekbrewing.com/.
Saturday, Oct. 4
• Sample ciders and seasonal beers amid fall colors at The Morton Arboretum’s Cider and Ale Festival from noon to 3 p.m. in Lisle. More than 30 local breweries will host tasting booths along Meadow Lake Trail, the Conifer Walk and the Frost Hill walking path. General admission tickets for the beer tasting are $75 and include 20 3-ounce pours and a souvenir glass. VIP tickets for $85 add entry at 11 a.m., a welcome pour and a commemorative pint-size beer glass. mortonarb.org/explore/activities/events/cider-ale-festival.
• Help support local veterans during The Legions of Craft Beer Festival from noon to 4 p.m. at the Gurnee American Legion Post 771 at 749 Milwaukee Ave. More than 50 craft beers and hard ciders from a variety of brewers will be available to sample while guests enjoy live music and the food trucks. General admission tickets are $45 in advance and $55 the day of the event.
Saturday, Oct. 18
• Head to St. Charles for a fun twist on a fun run with Hops for Hope, a beer 5K and BrewFest. With six beer stops along the way, the 5K starts at Mount Saint Mary Park, Route 31 at Prairie Street, St. Charles, and heads to Wheeler Park, 499 Wheeler Drive, Geneva, and then ends back at Mount Saint Mary Park for the BrewFest. The beer stops for runners include 3-ounce beer samples from local craft breweries. At the post 5K BrewFest, runners and ticket holders will get 18 samples of beer while listening to live music and enjoying a variety of food. Tickets for the 5K and BrewFest are $80, while tickets to the BrewFest only are $65. Prices go up on the day of the event. Proceeds benefit Project Mobility’s mission to bring adaptive cycling opportunities to children, adults and wounded service members with disabilities. hopsforhope5k.com/.
Friday, Nov. 14
• Be among the first to see “Illumination: Tree Lights” at The Morton Arboretum while sampling seasonal beers, ciders and meads from Chicago-area breweries during IllumiBrew, which runs from 5:30-10 p.m. Each ticket includes 15 3-ounce beer samples and a complimentary tasting glass. Pricing and participating breweries will be available soon.