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Take in the Intoxicating Ambience of the Asheville Brewgrass Festival

Published on May 03, 2012 by Sreemoti Majumdar

Country: United States

The Experience

Hundreds of festivals are held all over the world every year. Some of them are big, and others are small and intimate events. If you're a beer drinker, and you're located somewhere in the US, you will probably won't get a bigger and better event than the annual Asheville Brewgrass Festival. This is a beer festival that is held once every year in the US state of North Carolina. This is beer country, and as you can expect, the Asheville Brewgrass Festival is held with a lot of pomp and glory. Of course, there’s a lot of beer to be drank, but the fact is that, this festival is not just about beer, or drinking. It's a festival full of life. If you make it there, you will certainly want have a great time filled with good food and exuberant music . And yes, you will get to drink plenty of beer too.

The annual Brewgrass Festival is organized by the Great Smokies Craft Brewers Association, and held amidst beautiful mountains in Martin Luther King Jr. Park. As many as 40 breweries from all over the state and region are proud to come and be a part of the Asheville Brewgrass Festival. These are some of the best breweries you'll find in the state, and here you will be able to select from over 120 different types of the best beers. In fact, the breweries make it a point to serve their best during the festival. Since so many types of beers are served here, beer aficionados from across the country come here to drink.

However, the crowd-pulling secret of the Brewgrass Festival can be found elsewhere. During certain times of the year (usually prior to the fall) small brewers in the state produce small quantities of Craft beer to showcase to patrons who enjoy the bubbly broth to their heart’s content. If you dig deeper, you will discover that these relatively small and unknown breweries pour their hearts out into brewing these beers that invariably carry their signature. This includes taste, aroma and punch – all going to give that feeling of well being to the happy consumer.

This is what makes the Brewgrass Festival in North Carolina so special. It is a beer tasting paradise where local Craft brewers such as Southern Appalachian Craft, Green Man Ales and Highland join hands with others such as New Belgium, Lagunitas, Brooklyn and many more to make the Brewgrass Festival a grand success. Of course, crowd participation is critical. But the organizers aren't worried about that, because news of the Brewgrass Festival has spread far and wide. Beer lovers come here to taste their drinks, and to listen to music. A lot of people who are just casual drinkers attend this festival too.

But wait a minute, Asheville Brewgrass Festival isn't all about beer. It has the best sea food and plenty of high-quality bluegrass music bands. There is a great lineup of regional, as well as national bluegrass musicians. The ambience is magical. Just imagine hearing the best bluegrass music in romantic North Carolina, under a pleasant starry night, with a cold glass of Craft beer in your hand. Could life be better? Some of the bands that have performed in the past include Cadillac Sky, Norman Blake, Carolina Chocolate Drops, The Osborne Brothers, Jim Lauderdale, Tony Furtado, Valerie Smith, and others.

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When to Go to Brewgrass Festival

Brewgrass Festival is different from other contemporary beer carnivals. Those who have attended this event agree this festival is bigger and better than most others. A lot of breweries from the region and the other states too are invited to showcase their produce.

If you are planning to attend the Asheville Brewgrass Festival, you should definitely attend it for the entire span. After all, it is held for just a single day of the year typically in the third weekend in September. Check the festival website for specific date.

The Brewgrass Festival is held at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Park downtown in Asheville, NC. Just move from one stall to another to taste different types of beers. Remember, you can choose from 120 different types of beers here. It might be impossible to taste them all. So follow the crowds. See what the others prefer. The stalls having the most people must be serving the best beers. But do make it a point to check out some exclusive beers as well. Settle down with the one you like best, and listen to some of the best bluegrass music. The bands begin to perform from 12:30 in the afternoon. Each band gets about one hour. The last band of the day however gets one hour and thirty minutes.

Odds n' Ends

Brewgrass Festival tickets will cost you $40. This includes your admission, a sample glass souvenir of the festival, and a beer sampling. One ticket will admit one person. Remember, nobody can purchase more than four tickets. There is a great demand for these tickets. In fact, the event gets sold out much in advance. So make sure to get your Brewgrass Festival tickets early. Tickets usually go on sale in late May.

You can easily reach Asheville. You can take a flight to the city. The airport is serviced by several airline companies. You can take a flight from Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Philadelphia, Dallas/Fort Worth, NYC, Tampa, Orlando, and other cities. You can drive into town as well. You can take these highways - I-26, I-240, I-40, 19/23, 25A, 74 and 70.

There is no need to worry about accommodation, as there are plenty of options to choose from in Asheville. But remember, the price charged is usually inflated during the Brewgrass Festival. It is much cheaper in other times of the year.


More Experiences Nearby

Asheville's Bele Chere Outdoor Festival
Tucked deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina is the eclectic city of Asheville, host to the annual Bele Chere Outdoor Festival. Though small in size, Asheville makes up with a diverse culture that draws comparisons to the likes of New York City and San Francisco. While it offers unique cultural experiences anytime of the year, there's no better time to experience Asheville than in July when it hosts the annual Bele Chere Festival. Surrounded by rolling hills in the Blue Ridge Mountains, it may be surprising to many to find such a diverse metro situated in a ...1 miles away.

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Backroads of North Carolina: Your Guide to Great Day Trips & Weekend Getaways
300 Unmissable Events and Festivals Around the World
The Oxford Companion to Beer

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