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Events

Cider and Ale Festival

Sample ciders and seasonal beers amid rich fall color at the Cider and Ale Festival.

Content Detail

This event is sold out. 

Savor hard cider and seasonal beers from more than 30 local breweries and cideries. Breathe in the fresh autumn air and stroll among the trees while you sip. Tasting booths will be spread out along the Meadow Lake, Frost Hill, and Conifer walking paths.

Ticket types

General tickets (Sold out):

  • 20 – 3 ounce samples
  • Souvenir tasting glass
  • Live music provided by AD3 Acoustic Trio from 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

VIP early entry (Sold out):

  • Early entry to the festival at noon
  • Commemorative beer can glass with featured leaf
  • Private restroom access
  • Welcome drink – Enjoy a special tasting before you enter the festival area
  • First access to all 80+ beers, ciders, and meads at the festival
  • Everything included in the general admission ticket (with the exemption of the tasting glass)

Ticket purchasers must be 21 or older and present a valid I.D. at check-in. All Cider and Ale Festival tickets include admission into the Arboretum on Saturday, October 22.

Non-drinking and Underage guests

There is no designated driver ticket type for this event. Non-drinking and underage guests are able to join ticket holders along the tasting route, but are required to reserve a timed-entry admission pass to the Arboretum before arriving. Admission to the Arboretum is limited due to capacity restrictions. Reserve your passes before they are sold out.

 

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Tasting booths will be spread out along a mile-long, paved walking path that begins near the Visitor Center and Parking Lot 1. This path is accessible for wheelchairs and walkers; it includes a few hills. The tasting tables will be stationed on the grass within ten feet of the path. View the Accessibility Guide for more detailed information.

Attendees can use this Cider and Ale Festival program to take note of their favorite brews at the event.

Below is a list of breweries and beers featured at the festival.

Breweries and Featured Beers

2 Fools Cider
Apple Sauced – Cider
Pumpkin Spiced – Cider

Afterthought Brewing Company
Eighth Continent #4
Extra Noble – Farmhouse IPA

Angry Orchard 
Crisp Apple – Cider
Dark Cherry Apple – Cider

Black Horizon Brewing Company
Outer Worlds – Fruited Sour
Frozen Dimensions – IPA

Broken Brix Cidery
House Cider – Cider
Cherry Cider – Cider

BubbleHouse Brewing Company
Smoky Poofs – Rye Smoked Porter
That Escalated Swiftly – Belgian Strong Golden Ale

Cruz Blanca Brewery
Mexico Calling – Lager
Super Rica – West Coast IPA

Elmhurst Brewing Company
Spicebush Saison – Farmhouse Ale
The Last Session – Hazy Double IPA

First Forest Brewing
Reaper Repair – Double IPA
Dylan the Pilot – Wheat Beer

Garage Band Brewing
Harvest Moon – Märzen
Nor’Easter – New England IPA

Half Day Brewing
Cloud Cover – New England IPA
Oktoberfest – Märzen

Ike & Oak Brewing Co.
Mt Fansipan – Smoothie IPA
Gallatin Forest – Berliner Weisse

Illuminated Brew Works
Slushy Thing #8: the Garden of Dave’s Delight – Hard Seltzer
Junior Astronaut Juice – New England IPA

Kishwaukee Brewing Co.
Märzen
Brown Ale

Liquid Love Brewing
Time Consumer – Vienna Lager
Inside Out – Fruited Sour

Midwest Coast Brewing Co.
English Sporting Beer – ESB
Three from the Tree – Cream Ale

Misbeehavin’ Meads
Caramel Apple Cider – Cider
With a Baseball Bat – Mead

Noon Whistle Brewing
Jam Stand Apricot, Mango, Pineapple – Fruited Sour
Don’t Worry Be Gummy – New England IPA

Obscurity Brewing and Craft Mead
Prostober Oktoberfest – Märzen
Launch Juice – Midwest Hazy IPA
Honey Apple Cider – Cider
Salted Ranch Spritzer Mead – Mead

Old Irving Brewing Co.
Cinnamon Prost – White Stout
Scentinel – IPA

Oswego Brewing Co.
Oktoberfest – Märzen
Underwater Sky – Fruited Sour

Peeled Hard Cider
Hazy Apple – Cider
Hazy Blueberry – Cider

Pipeworks Brewing Co.
Pineapple Guppy – Pale Ale
Diamond Hold – Hazy Pale Ale
Coconut Phantom Unicorn – Barrel Aged Imperial Stout

Pollyanna Brewing Company
Eleanor – Porter
Lexical Gap – IPA

Prima Cider
Prima Most – Cider
Prima Verboten

Right Bee Cider
Right Bee Semi Dry – Cider
Clementine – Cider

The Conrad Seipp Brewing Co.
Seipp’s Extra Pale Pilsner – Pilsner
Metropolitan’s Microvolt Table Lager – Lager

Standard Meadery
Apple, Coconut & Cinnamon – Smoothie Style Mead
Video Days – Session Style Mead

The Cider Farm
Classic Dry – Cider
Oak-Aged – Cider

Wolfden Brewing Company
Beer Garden Blonde – Blonde Ale
Bippity Boppity BIPA – Bavarian IPA

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No, alcohol is not permitted in the Children’s Garden.

  • Each ticket purchase includes twenty 3-ounce samples. In some cases, higher ABV beverages such as meads may be less than 3-ounces. No additional samples will be available for purchase.

  • Yes, Arboretum admission is included with your Cider and Ale Festival ticket. Visitors are allowed to remain on-site for the duration of the day. The Arboretum will close at sunset.

  • Various beer-related and art vendors will be dispersed throughout the event area so attendees can shop while they sip.

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