The Petaluma River Craft Beer Festival is back on Saturday, Sept. 9, from 1 to 5 p.m., to highlight two of Petaluma’s favorite things: the Petaluma River and great local beer.

Even better, this event raises funds for community projects related to our Petaluma River, such as the Floathouse, Steamer Landing Park and Petaluma River Park.

What: The Petaluma River Craft Beer Festival

When: Saturday, Sept. 9, 1-5 p.m.

Where: The downtown Petaluma riverfront at Water Street and Western Avenue

Cost: $55 in advance, $60 on day of event (see details below)

Tickets: Purchase at the door, or online at petalumarivercraftbeerfest.org

Details: General admission is $55 in advance or $60 day of event, and includes beer glass, beer tastings and live music. Reduced price “designated driver” tickets are also available for $25, and include snacks and coffee, tea, and lemonade sponsored by Trader Joe’s. This is a 21-and-over event (no children or babies) and animals are not allowed. ID is required at the gate, which will be located at Water Street near Balshaw Bridge. Parking for this event is not available at the River Plaza shopping center.

Last year’s festival attracted over 1,100 beer lovers, who came out in force to enjoy the post-pandemic relaunch of this local beer festival. Beer fans can sample nearly every Sonoma County beer, as well as a few farther-afield craft offerings. To pair with the beer, there will be plenty of craveable food from many of Petaluma’s top restaurants, along with live music – all to be savored along Water Street in downtown Petaluma.

As important as the river is to Petaluma life, this annual event also recognizes Petaluma’s committed craft beer fans. From its first go-round in 2013, the Petaluma River Craft Beer Festival has evolved to be one of the premier craft beer festivals in the North Bay, hosting more than 20 California craft breweries. With a small venue and close contact with brewers from near and far, festival guests can learn and sample favorite beer styles, and meet the brewers who crafted them.

This year, every Petaluma brewery will be serving their hops and barley wares, including Petaluma’s Adobe Creek, Crooked Goat, HenHouse, Lagunitas, and Two Rock breweries. Guests will also get to sample brews from Sonoma County, including Cuver, Fogbelt, Iron Ox, Moonlight, Old Caz, Old Possum, Parliament, Sonoma Springs, Third Street Aleworks, Wolf House, and Woodfour, as well as local breweries from a bit further out – Laughing Monk, Pond Farm, and new this year, Oakland United Beerworks. G’s Dry Hard Ginger Beer and Hoocha kombucha brews will also make an appearance in the non-beer category.

To fill their stomachs while they quench their thirst, Petaluma restaurants Bodega Bay Oyster Co., Hank’s, Luma Bar & Eatery, Phe Sonoma, Sax’s Joint, Seared, Stockhome, Table Culture Provisions and Tortilla Real will turn out in force this year, with unique, fresh and delicious food to match all the great beer.

This year, we are especially excited to see Bodega Bay Oyster’s raw offerings – which pair perfectly with stouts, porters, and ales from Adobe Creek and Two Rock – and their grilled oysters, which go great with Crooked Goat’s Bee Beard honey ale for a smooth composition and lasting orange blossom honey notes. Crooked Goat will also have the perfect riverside end-of-summer seasonal fruit beer, the Blackberry Ale.

The Petaluma River Craft Beer Festival is a joint fundraiser presented by Petaluma Valley Rotary and the Petaluma Chamber of Commerce. Petaluma Valley Rotary Club past president – and former Cardoza Deli restaurant owner, Bonnie Cardoza – notes that the fundraiser will help support the Petaluma Floathouse and give Petalumans greater access to riverfront recreation and tourism.

In the past, funds from the beer festival have supported signage along Petaluma waterways and river parks, new docks for the Petaluma Basin’s central Floathouse, trails at Petaluma River Park, and the development of trees and maintenance at Petaluma’s pocket parks at C Street, F Street, and G Street along the Petaluma River. They have also been used to offer grants for Petaluma River projects and for local Petaluma teachers, students, and nonprofits dear to the Petaluma riverfront.

To purchase tickets, go to www.petalumarivercraftbeerfest.org.

The Law Offices of Andrea L. Pierotti, owned and operated by the authors, is one of the many proud sponsors of this event.

Email [email protected] or [email protected] with questions or comments.