April showers are bringing more than flowers on Long Island this year, with fun beer festivals springing up across the Island in May and June. Warmer weather also means the opening of outdoor beer gardens at craft breweries and restaurants.
Long Island Farm Brewery, which has its brewery and taproom in Manorville at Waterdrinker Farm, recently opened the LIFB Beer Garden at Waterdrinker’s North Fork farm on Sound Avenue in Riverhead. The new beer garden will be open every Friday to Sunday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., with live music and food trucks every Saturday and Sunday, and until May 10 will be a great place to enjoy Waterdrinker’s Tulip Festival with millions of tulips in bloom.
South Shore Craft Brewery in Oceanside will hold its second Annual Brew Fest on May 11 with beers from South Shore and 12 other Long Island breweries, including neighboring breweries Barrier Brewing, Long Beach Brewing and Bright Eye Beer. VIP hour will run from 1-2 p.m. with light apps included and the general session is 2-5 p.m. featuring live music from Damn Good Time Band and food trucks.
Also on May 11, Great South Bay Brewery in Bay Shore will host the Long Island Feast Fest with over 20 food trucks, live music, dozens of local artists and vendors, and of course craft beers from Great South Bay and neighboring Ghost Brewing. The event will run from noon-8 pm and in the event of rain the fest will move indoors into Great South Bay’s warehouse and event space.
Das Bock beerfest will be held on May 18 at Plattduetsche Biergarten in Franklin Square from 11 am-5 p.m. Sponsored by the New York State Brewers Association, Das Bock will feature beers from more than 45 breweries from across New York State, including over 15 Long Island breweries. The focus will be on traditional lagers, including German-style bock beers, made with darker malts for a higher alcohol, slightly sweet rich flavor. Festgoers will also get to enjoy traditional German music and food such as brats and Bavarian pretzels.
The annual Whales, Ales and Salty Tales beerfest on June 1 at the Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum has been renamed this year as Whales, Ales and Briny Tales to highlight a new addition to the festival – pickles. Horman’s Best, a pickle maker located in Glen Cove, will be on hand with samples of their various fresh pickles such as sour, half sour, kosher dill and classic bread and butter chips. The festival will run from 2-5 pm and features craft beers from local breweries and homebrew clubs, along with live sea chanteys, an adult scavenger hunt, and tours of the museum.
Six Harbors Brewing Company in Huntington will hold its 3rd annual Gold Coast Craft Beer Festival on June 8. The fest will feature 12 craft breweries from across Long Island, including Garvies Point from the Gold Coast in Glen Cove, but also plenty of South Shore breweries such as Secatogue and Take Two. VIP ticket holders will have special access beginning at noon to Six Harbor’s indoor space and complimentary food. General admission ticket holders will enjoy beer tastings outdoors from 1-4 p.m. along with food trucks, live music and local vendors. The festival will benefit Paws of War, a non-profit based in Nesconset that trains and places shelter dogs to support U.S. military veterans.
Burgerology Patchogue will hold the Patchogue Spring Beer Fest on June 9 from 2-6 p.m. with tastings from over 20 craft breweries from Long Island and Brooklyn. The fest will feature live music from The Select along with burgers and other bites from Burgerology.
Sadly, the summer’s premier beerfest, Long Island Craft Classic, will not be taking place this year in August. The festival’s organizer, Starfish Junction, has closed up shop after more than 16 years of holding fun beerfests on the North Fork, at Nassau Coliseum, Belmont Park, and for the past several years at Heckscher State Park. Thanks and best wishes go out to Andy and Lynda Calimano as they move on to their next chapter.
More information about upcoming beer festivals and events can be found at LIBeerGuide.com/events.
Bernie Kilkelly is the editor and publisher of LIBeerGuide.com.
