Fair Isle Brewing is throwing a beer festival on a boat, and even if you don’t have a ticket — or you break out in hives at the mere mention of open water — you’re not a castaway.
The Seattle brewery rounded up an impressive fleet of breweries from near and far (the friends) to join them aboard a repurposed ferry (the ferry) as it trawls the sparkling waters of Lake Union. The event, appropriately called Ferry & Friends, sold out weeks ago. But Fair Isle isn’t leaving landlubbers stranded on the dock.
Starting Wednesday, July 22nd, Fair Isle’s taproom in Ballard will pour a lineup of friends’ beers alongside its own — no ticket, no problem. They’re also dropping HIYU, a special release named after the ferry itself, because if you’re going to throw a party on a boat, the boat deserves to get in on the fun, too. The Hiyu retired from its long service with Washington State Ferries a decade ago but continues to serve the community as a floating party spot.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. (I’ll stop now.) Fair Isle has a full week of Ferry & Friends programming planned on shore. Details below, straight from the brewery.
A Week of Ferry & Friends!
You don’t need a ticket to be part of the celebration.
While the ferry may be sold out, we’re bringing Ferry & Friends to Fair Isle all week long. Join us as we welcome breweries and friends from across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Wednesday • Welcome Party
3:00 PM | Fair Isle Brewing
Open to the Public
Help us kick off Ferry & Friends with the release of HIYU, our collaborative blend celebrating the breweries aboard this year’s voyage. We’ll be pouring guest beers from visiting breweries alongside Fair Isle favorites, with food from La Marea and plenty of familiar faces. No ticket required—just come by, grab a beer, and help us welcome everyone to Seattle.
Thursday & Friday • Ferry & Friends
Not joining us aboard the HIYU? Fair Isle will be open Thursday and Friday as usual! We’ll be pouring a special lineup of saisons and lagers, with La Marea serving up their incredible tostadas all evening. Whether you’re heading to the ferry, couldn’t snag a ticket, or just want a great beer and dinner, we’d love to see you in Ballard.
Saturday • Hangover Brunch
11:00 AM | Fair Isle Brewing
Open to the Public
As the ferry returns to shore, keep the weekend going with brunch from La Marea, guest beers on tap, bottle pours, and one last gathering before everyone heads home. It’s the perfect way to close out Ferry & Friends Week.
We built Ferry & Friends around a simple idea: great beer is best enjoyed with great people. Whether you’re joining us aboard the HIYU or raising a glass with us at the brewery, we’d love to see you this week.
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.
