23rd ANNUAL GREAT ARIZONA BEER FESTIVAL PRESENTED BY AZCENTRAL.COM OFFERS MORE THAN 200 CRAFT BEERS, FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT March 5, 2011

EVENT INFO:
The Great Arizona Beer Festival presented by azcentral.com is dedicated to the enjoyment of fine craft and micro-brewed beers. Featuring over 200 brews available for sampling, the Great Arizona Beer Festival is the largest beer festival in the southwest, both in terms of number of brewers attending and selection of craft beers on tap. Now in its 23rd year, the festival also holds the distinction of being the longest-running beer festival in Arizona, and now includes a nationally sanctioned beer competition.

The festival also features a variety of great food, live entertainment and games. This year’s musical entertainment showcases local favorites The Crown Kings.

The VIP Experience presented by Phoenix Magazine, features casino-style gaming including blackjack, poker, roulette and craps, with opportunities to win and bid on auction/raffle prizes using casino “winnings.” All proceeds benefit Sun Sounds of Arizona. Additional VIP perks include an exclusive lounge area, catered food, access to award-winning brewers, VIP seating with shade, separate restrooms, free event t-shirt and gift bag.

Designated Drivers enjoy access to the private Designated Driver Pavilion, featuring non-alcoholic beverages, food and entertainment specifically for those who support our beer-drinkers with a safe ride home.

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The Great Arizona Beer Festival is also the only major beer festival in Arizona that is entirely a charitable event. All of the funds raised go to support the work of Sun Sounds of Arizona, which provides blind and other print-impaired listeners throughout the state access to printed reading material (newspapers, magazines, best-selling books, etc.) by broadcasting these materials daily via radio, phone and internet, with the help of 500 volunteer readers. This large-scale, fundraising event is made possible through the donations made by participating brewers, sponsors and the work of a network of volunteers.

Casino Arizona is the Safe Ride Home Sponsor of the festival, ensuring opportunities for everyone to make it home safely, whether by taxi, designated driver or the nearby Valley METRO Light Rail. KDKB 93.3 FM is the official FM Radio Sponsor, DRAFT magazine is the official beer magazine, Alphagraphics is the official printer, GoMobile is the official mobile web provider, and accommodations are provided by Fiesta Resort.

TICKETS:
Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 at the gate for general admission, including up to 24 different beer samples, or $80 in advance/$90 at the gate for VIP admission. VIP tickets include entry into the “VIP Experience,” including all the above listed amenities and VIP’s may enter an hour before the festival starts. Designated drivers receive entry to the festival for only $20 (or $30 in VIP), and have a special reserved lounge area, featuring complimentary massages, makeovers, healthy snacks, soft drinks and more. All guests must be 21 or over to enter.

Tickets are available on the festival website at www.azbeer.com and also on Facebook and at participating pubs and retail outlets.

PUBLIC
CONTACT:
For more information visit www.azbeer.com or call 480-774-8300.

Follow the Great Arizona Beer Festival on Twitter at GreatAZBeerFest, on Facebook, MySpace, Digg and on our YouTube channel GreatAZBeerFestival.

Official Website: http://www.azbeer.com