The 2023 Southern Oregon BrewFest will continue at The Expo, 1 Peninger Road, Central Point, Saturday, Sept. 16. The BrewFest is really several events rolled into one action-packed weekend of food, beverages and entertainment. BrewFest features more than 70 taps dispensing a wide selection of microbrews, ciders and regional wines from across the Pacific Northwest, the State of Jefferson and even some specially invited guests from the rest of the country’s favorite breweries. Breweries include Cascade Lakes, Cascadia Cider, Crux Fermentation Project, Deschutes, Gilgamesh Brewing, Hop Valley, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Mad River Brewing, Worthy Brewing and many more. Tickets start at $20 for beer-tasting and include a souvenir glass. Hours are from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday. For tickets and further details, including a complete schedule of events, see sobrewfest.com.

Whether it’s beer, wine or cider, there’ll be plenty on tap for thirsty visitors at the Rogue Broadband Southern Oregon BrewFest at The Expo.

The brew-filled festival in Central Point is set from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15, and noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16.

“If you are a beer lover, you’re going to be having the time of your life,” said Debbie Stringer, contract and office specialist with The Expo.

With 70-plus taps, the event will bring breweries, wineries and cider makers from around Oregon, including breweries from as far away as Hawaii, to test out classic and new brews.

“It’s one of our signature events that we bring up, we call it our end-of-summer celebration,” said longtime Expo director Helen Baker. “It is one of the larger BrewFests in the state, as far as fall goes.”

Visiting wineries include Del Rio Vineyards, RoxyAnn Winery and more.

While some visiting breweries will be coming from Pacific Northwest states, Maui Brewing Company will travel across the Pacific Ocean for the festival. The participating beer makers, cideries and wine makers include big commercial companies such as Anheuser-Busch, as well as small, independent brewers such as Medford’s Walkabout Brewing Company and Chetco Brewing Company in Brookings.

“This will be our second time going to BrewFest. Last year was great, and we met tons of people,” said brewmaster Mike Frederick, who owns Chetco Brewing Company with his wife, Alex Frederick.

The Brookings-based brewery will bring six beers for folks to try, including an India pale ale, a porter, a pilsner and a hazy-style brew, Frederick added.

The independent brewery produces world-class beer, winning a gold award at the international World Beer Cup competition for the American-style Imperial Stout category in 2023.

“We’re a very small brewery. I was brewing 15-gallon batches of beer when we won the World Beer Cup,” Frederick said.

“Avid Cider, Bend Cider Company, and locally, Apple Outlaw will be here,” Stringer added.

Beyond the alcoholic beverages to enjoy, BrewFest will include vendors and food trucks such as Desert Highway Boutique and Aunt Laurie’s Sweets, along with live music from such local artists as the Frankie Hernandez Band and Lisa & The Dynamics.

Right next to and coinciding with BrewFest will be two concerts, with a Bruno Mars tribute band, Uptown Funk, playing at 7 p.m. Friday, and the Steve Miller Band performing at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Bi-Mart Amphitheater.

“While they’re not technically part of BrewFest, it’s part of BrewFest, and we intend for it to be everyone’s pregame,” Baker said of the weekend concerts.

“For the weekend as a whole, I think we usually see about 6,000 people, and that’s not counting the concerts,” Stringer said. “It’s the third- or fourth-largest event we throw.”

Tickets cost $20 to $25 per person, and interested parties can buy package tickets to include entry for the Steve Miller Band and Uptown Funk concerts.

To buy tickets, volunteer at The Expo or see more about BrewFest, visit attheexpo.com/brewfest.