After a two year hiatus due to COVID-19, the Bend Brewfest is making its return this weekend, May 13 and 14, for a two-day springtime festival. It’s also in a slightly new location—still in Bend’s Old Mill District, but not at the amphitheater; it will be taking place on the east bank of the Deschutes River, across from the amphitheater. The move was necessitated by planned construction.

It’s important to note as well, that according to the press release, “All attendees of the 2022 Bend Brewfest will be required to show proof of full vaccination.” It also takes place outdoors, and while this is all well and good, frankly, I’m still concerned about the return of beer events while the pandemic is still present and cases are on the rise again. At the risk of sounding like a Cassandra, there is definitely risk in attending.

If you do attend, wear a mask and practice the usual safe measures. Here are more details from the original press release:

The second-largest beer festival in the Pacific Northwest when it was last held in 2019, this year’s Bend Brewfest is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 13-14, noon to 9 p.m. each day. The event will be hosted in the Old Mill District along the east bank of the Deschutes River and feature more than 100 beers from 65-plus breweries.

Pre-sale tickets go on sale St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, at BendBrewfest.com. The 2022 Bend Brewfest will have a limited capacity and pre-sale tickets are available while supplies last.

“It would be impossible for us to express just how thrilled we are to have Bend Brewfest back on our schedule for 2022,” said Beau Eastes, marketing director at the Old Mill District. “This is an event people typically circle on their calendars, and while we moved it across the river and bumped it up from its traditional August date, we plan to deliver the same high-quality event people have come to expect.”

This includes bringing back Bend Brewfest’s vaunted X-Tap, which will include a wide selection of high-end, specialty and experimental beer available for scheduled tastings. Cider and wine options will also be available, as will food, vendors, and music from live DJs.

According to Eastes, this year’s Brewfest event will feature a healthy mix of beer from well-known local and regional breweries like pFriem, Boneyard, and Breakside; as well as from newer, up-and-coming brewers – names like Van Henion in Bend, Funky Fauna in Sisters, and Alesong Brewing & Blending in Eugene.

“Along with all 65 breweries and 100-plus beers, I’m particularly excited about our X-Tap this year,” Eastes said. “The X-Tap offers brewers the chance to show off their specialty, high-end, barrel-aged-type beers – the stuff you can’t typically find in a grocery store six-pack – and this year, our X-Tap will be as robust as ever.”

By moving Bend Brewfest from summer to spring this year, the Brewfest will overlap with another one of Bend’s signature events: the SELCO Pole Pedal Paddle (PPP) on Saturday, May 14. This scheduling decision was intentional, says Eastes, as organizers for each event believe the proximity in time and place – the PPP finish line will be along the west banks of the Deschutes River in the Old Mill District – will be mutually beneficial.

The beer list is here (including the X-Tap), and you can purchase tickets online here.