Looking for a road trip later this month? I’d suggest heading up north for Bellingham Beer Week, which is set to take place from April 21 to 29. With 10 breweries in a city of around 80,000 people, Bellingham’s beer scene has exploded in recent years and shows little sign of slowing down (Did someone say Melvin?). For an update of what has been going on in the Bellingham beer scene and what is on the horizon, I’ll point you in the direction of this comprehensive post on Tap Trail.

In contrast to Seattle Beer Week (May 4 to 14!), the smaller number of events for the Bellingham version seems appropriate. For us out-of-towners, heading up for a weekend to explore the scene and hit a few events is perfect. The fun starts on April 21 with kickoff events at Elizabeth Station, Kulshan Brewery, Aslan Brewing and McKay’s Taphouse. The week culminates with the 16th Annual April Brews Day, a beer fest at Depot Market Square featuring 120+ beers from 60+ PNW breweries.

Instead of a single official beer for Bellingham Beer Week, this year breweries were asked to get together and create a series of collaborations. There are three offerings currently listed on the website: A Belgian-style pale ale from Kulshan and Menace, a hop-forward imperial red ale from Wander, Melvin, Brouwer’s Cafe and Elizabeth Station, and a dry-hopped sour pale ale with tropical fruit puree from Boundary Bay and Gruff.

If you need a place to stay, check out the lodging deals from the event’s hotel partners.