The 3rd Annual Balboa Craft Beer Festival in Balboa Village is gearing up to be another stellar event. Located in the charming Balboa Village – just steps from the Ferry, this is a popular annual venue for beer lovers to chat with the Brew Masters and sample 30 different beers. This year, there will also be reserved red and white wines for those who prefer grapes to hops.

The event will be host to over a dozen different breweries, pouring at least 30 different brews and abundant food samples from our favorite restaurants on the Peninsula.

A party isn’t really a party if there isn’t live music. As in years past, there will be great live music from “The Strangers” (and, yes, with Greg Peters will be returning on guitar). There will be corn-hole tossing, a giant Jenga board game and table games – all here to create a fun and interactive afternoon with friends. It will be one big party at Balboa Village!

Unlimited tastings will be available from over a dozen breweries, and here are just a few example: Bootlegger’s Brewery, Barley Forge Brewing Co., Coronado Brewing Company, Hanger 24 Craft Brewery, Ninkasi Brewing (out of Eugene and named after the Sumerian goddess of beer), Goose Island Beer Company and Kona Brewing Company, just to name a few!

There will be a Barber Station set up for quick “clean-ups” and neck massages. And new this year Newport Downtowner will be offering free transportation to and from the event on the Peninsula. Score!

And we can’t really drink beer without enjoying some delicious food, right? There will be frozen bananas and crepes, and local restaurants will be there too, with unlimited tastes will be aplenty, from your favorites including: Balboa BBQ, Too Sweet, Cruisers Pizza Bar Grill, Ruby’s Diner, The Trough Sandwich Kitchen, Orange Blossom Café, Newport Landing Restaurant & Oyster Bar and Harborside Restaurant.

This event is for adults only and this year there will be a three-tiered pricing structure. There is a VIP ticket for $85 per person, and this allows guests to enter at 12:30pm vs. 1:00pm for the general public and to secure an Express Pass. General Admission is $65 per person, or $45 for designated drivers (no alcohol), plus a small service fee at the time of booking. Tickets can be purchased at: www.balboabeerfest.com . There are a limited number of tickets and they do sell out each year. So don’t delay to secure your tickets. They do this to ensure a “no crowd” event for all who do attend. It’s just more fun that way!

The event is located at: 600 E. Balboa Boulevard (which is just East of Balboa Blvd. and Palm Street). Parking is available at the adjacent Public Beach Lot across the street and some street parking is also nearby. (This event is being hosted by The Balboa Village Merchant Association. Ticket sales to this event help cover the event costs and provide support to the Association. So thank you for supporting them!)