24th annual Holiday Ale Festival

From 24th annual Holiday Ale Festival Website:

The winter season holds many gifts for beer lovers in the form of big, bold ales designed to fend off the cold chill of a long winter's night. Each year, the Holiday Ale Festival annually gathers up dozens of these winter warmers for a joyous five-day celebration. As a result, this quintessential Portland event has earned a reputation as the premier winter beer tasting venue on the West Coast.

Held in the heart of downtown Portland, the Holiday Ale Festival keeps attendees warm and dry under a large clear top tent that covers Pioneer Courthouse Square while allowing for views of the city lights. Gas heaters create a cozy ambience under the boughs of one of the region's largest decorated Christmas trees.

More than 50 potent winter ales are featured at this year's event, all of which are created specifically to bring warmth and cheer to the holiday season. These aren't beers you'll find in the supermarket - our brewers have put together special recipes just for the Holiday Ale Festival. From Belgians and Barleywines to Stouts and Sours, these beers are rich, robust and full of complex flavors.

There will also be one food vendor, nuts, as well as self-guided cheese and beer pairings. Event hours are 11am to 9pm Wednesday through Saturday, and 11am to 5pm Sunday. To avoid lengthy lines, the festival encourages patrons to attend Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. The Holiday Ale Festival is for ages 21 and over.