All Over Albany

A handful of upcoming craft beer festivals

From a previous Craft New York Brewers Festival at The Desmond. / photo: New York State Brewers Association

Whatever you call that in-between season from late February through April -- often not totally winter, but not really spring -- also happens to be a beer fest season.

And this year is no different, with a handful of festivals around the region...

It's not unusual for these sorts of events to sell out, so it's not a bad idea to snag a ticket earlier rather than later.

February 25: Saratoga Beer Summit
It's part of the annual Saratoga Beer Week. Includes two three-hour sessions at the Saratoga City Center. "Sip the day away and try 160+ craft beer samples from more than 80 breweries in the Spa City area and beyond while enjoying live music entertainment and snacks from food vendors available for purchase!" Saturday, February 25 -- early bird tickets are currently $40 for general admission / $60 for VIP early access

March 11: Snommegang Invitational Beer Festival
It's in downtown Oneonta. And it's presented by Brewery Ommegang, thus the name. " Come join us on Main Street for great beer and music from around the country. Food will be available for purchase from the fantastic restaurants on Main Street. Main Street will be closed from Ford Avenue to Chestnut Street, with the event taking place under a series of heated tents." Saturday, March 11 -- $50

March 25: New York Craft Brewers Festival
This is the fourth year for the festival organized by the New York State Brewers Association at the Desmond in Colonie. "The New York Craft Brewers Festival brings together 50 New York Breweries (and brewers) from every region of the state featuring up to 100+ hard to find and award winning beers. This is a great opportunity to meet the NYS brewers that make the beer, and the owners of the local food scene in the Capital District that are such an important part of the community." Saturday, March 25 -- $40 ahead ($50 at door) / $55 ahead VIP ($65 at door) / $15 designated drivers

April 22: Albany Craft Beer Festival
Part of Albany Craft Beer Week. This is the first year for the festival, which is at the Washington Ave Armory. It's organized by Oliver's in Albany and Westmere Beverage in Guilderland. "The festival will focus on high-end and limited-release craft beer. Rather than offering an alternative VIP admission that would exclude many consumers from sampling, we are working to curate a selection of hundreds of these exclusive beers making the entire experience VIP. In addition to providing a never-before-seen selection of beer, the festival will offer the opportunity for many consumers to talk to brewers, reps, and other beer enthusiasts. There will be local food vendors, live music, festival-centric merchandise, charitable raffles and giveaways." Saturday, April 22 -- $65 / $20 designated drivers