Raise a Glass to Gig Harbor's First Beer Festival

The inaugural Gig Harbor Beer Festival -- sponsored by -- will be held Saturday, May 12 at the , located at 4701 Pt. Fosdick Dr. NW. Event hours are 12 p.m. - 7 p.m. and you must be 21 years or older to attend. This new beer-lovers festival will feature local breweries from around the South Puget Sound area pouring their most-coveted drafts, as well music, raffles, prizes, and more.

The Gig Harbor/Peninsula area has long yearned for its very own beer event, and this inaugural festival promises not to disappoint event goers. "We are working hard to feature the very best and unique brews and brewers from around the area," said festival organizer, John Fosberg. "All of the brewers we've spoken to about the event have been very excited about participating, and we're expecting a diverse list of brewers to attend -- and a lot of incredible beers to choose from."

Advance tickets are $20, and are available online by visiting the Festival's website at http://www.gigharborbeerfestival.com, or at http://www.brownpapertickets.com. Your ticket admission includes a 2012 commemorative taster cup and eight taster tokens. You may also purchase tickets the day of the event for $25. Additional taster tokens will be on sale during the day of the Festival.

Festival organizers will also be giving away a limited number of free VIP tickets to the festival in a series of online raffles through the Festival's Facebook page. Visit the Gig Harbor Beer Festival's Facebook page for more information.

The Festival is not only a great way to sample some very finely crafted beers, but it also benefits a local nonprofit organization, the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation. Created in 2006, Greater Gig Harbor Foundation works to enrich the greater Gig Harbor Peninsula region by providing support for recreation, education, cultural and conservation activities, parks and greenspaces.

"When first developing the festival, we wanted to find a truly local nonprofit organization that benefits our community directly," continued Fosberg. "We could not have found a better partner in the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation."

Blazing Onion Burger Company is the Major Sponsor for the event. Other sponsors include Uptown Gig Harbor, The Peninsula Gateway, DPI Print, The INN at Gig Harbor, Tides Tavern, and Cascade Print Media, with additional support from the City of Gig Harbor.

For more information, contact John Fosberg at (253) 853-2728, or contact@gigharborbeerfestival.com.

To learn more about the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation, visit http://www.gigharborfoundation.org.