Image from Washington Beer Facebook page.

There are plenty of local beer festivals here in Seattle, but Belgian Fest is one of my favorites of the year. Coming up on Saturday, January 30, Belgian Fest gives local Washington breweries a chance to showcase Belgian-style beers. It is always an interesting lineup of beers, with sours, saisons, strong ales and more getting equal billing alongside Belgian-style pale ales and IPAs. After a successful run at the Bell Harbor International Convention Center over the past few years, the festival moves to the Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center for the first time this year.

The event takes place over two sessions, and advanced tickets cost $35 ($40 at the door, if tickets are still available). The admission price includes ten 4-ounce tastes and a tasting glass that is yours to keep. Additional tokens can be purchased for a reasonable price if you want to taste more than ten different beers. If you want free entry to the fest, you might consider volunteering to help setup or pour at one of the sessions. Check out the website for more info.

A preliminary list of participating breweries follows, and I expect a full beer list will be available for the event soon.

Participating Breweries: