The coming of spring usually brings warmer weather and for beer lovers it signals the start of beer festival season on Long Island. Over the next few months there will be several popular beerfests at local breweries and beer gardens, drawing crowds with great beer and also live music and food offerings.
Festgoers this year can upgrade to a VIP ticket for an exclusive Biers & Bites tasting from noon-1 p.m. This tasting will include four craft beers from New York State paired with authentic German bites from the Plattduetsche including wild boar sausage, roasted pork belly and smoked salmon.
Also on May 16, the 7th annual Goosefest will be held at Sand City South in Lindenhurst beginning at 11 a.m. The beer festival is held in memory of National Guard Airman and New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Lieutenant Christopher “Goose” Raguso, who was killed while serving in Iraq in 2018. Festgoers will receive a 4-pack of 6th Wave IPA brewed and donated by Sand City Brewing Co., while enjoying food trucks and live music from several local bands going late into the evening.
All proceeds from Goosefest will go toward the FDNY Lt. Chris Raguso Foundation, which supports the work of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, a college scholarship program at Elwood/John Glenn High School in Lt. Raguso’s name, and the widows and children fund of FDNY assisting families of fallen FDNY firefighters.
South Shore Craft Brewery in Oceanside will hold its 4th Annual Brew Fest on June 6 with unlimited beer tasting from South Shore and over 15 local breweries, including neighboring Barrier Brewing Company and Bright Eye Beer Co. The beer festival will feature live music, multiple food trucks, and local vendors. General admission tickets are for 2-5 p.m. while VIP ticket holders enjoy an extra hour from 1-2 p.m.
The MacArthur Business Alliance will hold its 3rd Annual Hangarfest on June 12 at the Liberty Jet Hangar at MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma. The Alliance, which is celebrating its 30th year, is a nonprofit organization supporting businesses and the broader community surrounding the airport. Hangarfest, which will run from 4:30-9:30 p.m., will feature food and drinks from local restaurants, breweries, and distilleries, including Spider Bite Beer Co. in Holbrook and LI Salted Spirits in Sayville.
One of Long Island’s most popular beerfests, the East Meadow Fire Department’s Fire Fest, will return on July 11 to Station 4 field in Westbury. The annual beer festival will feature over 25 craft breweries from across Long Island and New York City, along with a dozen food trucks, local vendors, and live music. Proceeds from the event support local volunteer firefighters and EMS first responders.
More information about upcoming Long Island beer festivals can be found atLIBeerGuide.com/beer-festivals.
Bernie Kilkelly is the editor and publisher ofLIBeerGuide.com.
Bernie Kilkelly is the editor and publisher of LIBeerGuide.com, the authoritative guide to finding and enjoying great beer on Long Island. He has been writing about and enjoying craft beer, breweries and homebrewing on Long Island for over 30 years. Reach him via [email protected].
Source: LI Press
