It was with visions of Munich’s Oktoberfest that Art Larrance, cofounder of Portland Brewing Company of Portland, Oregon approached other local craft brewers in 1988 with the idea of starting a festival at which craft-brewed Northwest beers would be showcased alongside those from farther afield. Other original organizers were Dick and Nancy Ponzi of BridgePort Brewing and Rob and Kurt Widmer of Widmer Brothers Brewing. The Oregon Brew Crew, a local homebrew club, volunteered its collective services as pourers for the 16 beers offered by a total of 13 breweries. The festival was held in a city park alongside the Willamette River. Five thousand people were expected; 15,000 attended.

The Oregon Brewers Festival continues to be held the last full weekend in July. Many of the same organizers are still involved, and the Brew Crew still arranges the volunteers. Eighty beers are now offered, one from each brewery represented, and in contrast with other festivals given to aggressive promotion and competition, the Oregon festival is unequivocally democratic: the smallest brewpub is presented exactly the same as the largest, most moneyed national producer. The many brewers on hand are expected only to enjoy themselves and their colleagues’ beers. The only competition associated with the festival, in fact, is in being invited to participate.

Like Munich’s older festival, the mayor participates annually in the tapping of the Oregon festival’s first kegs. A parade to the festival grounds is held, and these days some 70,000 people can be counted on to attend.