One of the best beer cities in the US is set to celebate its Beer Week
Bellingham is one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier beer destinations. For my money, it deserves recognition as one of the best beer cities in the entire nation, especially for a community of its size (population 100K, give or take). I say this not only because of the impressive number of breweries per capita, but because of the exceptional quality of so many of those breweries. The city is home to more than a dozen breweries and brewery taprooms, with more in the surrounding county. Most of them range from very good to exceptional.
Bellingham Beer Week celebrates the city’s craft breweries, the spirit of collaboration, and the community’s long-standing appreciation of, and dedication to, locally brewed beer, which makes it all work. In fact, a decade ago someone did a study and proved that Bellingham was among the worst places to find bad beer: to wit, it is among the best places to NOT find bad beer. It’s hard to find crappy beer in Bellingham, however you phrase it.
During Bellingham Beer Week, beer lovers will enjoy creative events, beer releases, beer+food pairing dinners, and more. The grand finale takes place on April 18th when the city celebrates its largest annual beer festival, April Brews Day. Beer Week is organized by the Bellingham Beer Alliance (BBA) to fuel the community, get people out to enjoy local beer, support small businesses, and promote tourism in Bellingham.
There are many events planned, but here are a few that caught my eye.
The Official Kickoff Party
Friday, April 10. 4 pm
Location: Wander Brewing
Join Wander Brewing and friends for a ceremonial tapping of kegs and on-site t-shirt screen printing to get Bellingham Beer Week started!
Kulshan Beer Olympics
Saturday, April 11, 3:30 pm
Location: Kulshan Brewing (Roosevelt location)
Teams of 4 will go head-to-head in a series of Beer Olympic games, battling for bronze, silver, and gold medals. Compete against teams from fellow Bellingham breweries, and enjoy beer on tap from participating breweries. There will be spectator games too, plus plenty of chances to heckle the teams from the sidelines.
The Wild West (Coast) IPA Showdown
Saturday, April 11, 6 pm to 9 pm
Location: Stemma Brewing Company (Carolina Street)
Stemma’s four brewers (Amber, Duncan, Geoff, and Jason)were given the same brief:
Brew the best West Coast IPA possible. Stop by the brewery, sample the beers, and cast your vote. The People’s Choice winner will be announced at 9 pm. Western attire is encouraged but not required. Yee Haw!
Tapping of the Bocks
Sunday, Apr 12 at 4 pm
Location: Otherlands Beer.
Drawing inspiration from the rowdy seasonal “Anstich” parties in the Bamberg area, they’ll be celebrating spring with dual gravity keg tappings of Maibock from Kulshan and Otherlands! Very special beers, tasty food, and more spring merriment than you can shake a stich at.
Tipsy Tales (A Boozy History of Bellingham)
Monday, Apr 13 at 6 pm
Location: Kulshan Brewing Co – Sunnyland
Kolby LaBree, Tour Guide and Researcher with The Good Time Girls, shares stories from Bellingham’s boozy past, from prohibition-era antics to the colorful characters who shaped the city’s early drinking culture. Leaning into the theme, they’ll have a few historic beer relics on display, a prohibition-inspired atmosphere, and a special beer release.
Bellingham Beverage and Bar Trivia
Thursday, Apr 16 at 7 pm
Location: Wander Brewing
Think you know a thing or two about the local imbibing culture? Put it to the test with this Bellingham beer-, cider-, cocktail-, and bar-themed trivia night.
Trivia and Dank Karaoke Party
Location: Beach Cat Brewing South Paw
Thursday, Apr 16 at 6:30, and at 8 pm
Join Beach Cat and Cheba Hut to celebrate our Dank Beer Collab ahead of 4/20 with a late-night karaoke party in the Oasis! Check out the weekly trivia beforehand, starting at 6:30, and get the party started early.
APRIL BREWS DAY
Location: Civic Stadium parking lot
Saturday, Apr 18th, 3 pm-8 pm
Visit the festival website for complete details.
Drag Brunch
Sunday, Apr 19 at 11 am
Location: El Sueñito Brewing
Recover from Bellingham Beer Week with a beermosa or three! This show is 21+. Tickets required.
Check out the complete events calendar. There’s a lot of stuff planned.
Visit our events page and calendar to learn about all sorts of other upcoming beer events. To submit an event for inclusion on our events calendar, use our event submission form. Got more details to share, reach out to us.
