Do you enjoy beer—especially microbrews and fresh-hop brews from Oregon favorites like Rogue and Ninkasi? If you answered yes, or you just love hoppy beer and great deals, the Willamette Valley Fresh Hop Festival at the Lane Events Center is a must-visit this weekend.
The festival highlights beers brewed with fresh hops instead of the usual dried variety, showcasing vibrant, aromatic flavors unique to the harvest season. Brewers from across Oregon bring special small-batch and seasonal offerings, so it’s a prime opportunity to taste limited-release beers you might not find elsewhere.
The ticket options are affordable and flexible, making the festival accessible whether you want to sample a few pours or spend the afternoon tasting around:
- $10 — includes a glass and 2 drink tickets
- $15 — includes a glass and 7 drink tickets
- $20 — includes two glasses and 4 drink tickets
- $1 — individual tasting pours
In addition to beer tasting, the festival offers food vendors serving dishes and products made with beer, brewery merchandise, live entertainment, and educational displays about hops and brewing. It’s a great event for beer enthusiasts, food lovers, and anyone curious about the craft brewing process.
If you can’t make it this weekend, keep an eye on regional fresh hop festivals—there are similar events throughout Oregon during hop harvest season. For festival highlights and a recap, I’ll publish a follow-up blog post next week. For everyone attending, enjoy the tastings and see you Saturday!