 Hailed by many as the finest craft beer festival of America,
the Oregon Brewers Festival celebrates the growth of North American
microbrewing while showcasing（展示） some of the finest beers in the
industry. Held each July, the Oregon Brewers Festival attracts 80,000 beer
enthusiasts to Portland's Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park. Beer lovers
from around the world visit Portland to sample some of the nearly 90 local
and national craft brews.
Although admission to the event is free, there is a small charge for a
souvenir mug （纪念杯）and an additional fee for beer tokens, which are
required for sampling brews. Festival-goers complement their thirst for
beer with light meals and snacks available at the booths run by local
restaurants.
The Oregon Brewers Festival is designed to promote the independent
brewers of North America in a fun and educational fashion. In addition to
beer-tasting, the event includes an educational tent where patrons can
learn more about beer through industry exhibits by hop growers, maltsters,
home brewers and national beer writers.
The first Oregon Brewers Festival in 1988 was a success despite a few
glitches（小故障） and challenges. The weather was unbearably hot, an
unexpected 5,000 people showed up, and the main attraction - the beer -
was foamy due to refrigeration problems. The dream of Art Larrance,
co-founder of Portland Brewing Company, had been realized.
 Prior to organizing the festival, Larrance had
visited a variety of beer festivals around the United States. Knowing
"what a big beer party was like," he hoped to create something similar but
with a distinct emphasis on the enjoyment and exposure of microbrews
rather the competition for the best beer.
With this goal in mind, Larrance set out to form the Oregon Brewers
Association along with Nancy Ponzi of BridgePort Brewing Company and Kurt
Widmer of Widmer Brothers Brewing Company. Together, the "Big Three"
developed what would become the first non-judging beer event in the nation
for microbrews. The fact that the event was organized by fellow brewers,
as opposed to outside promoters, added to its credibility and increased
the desire of microbrewers to participate.
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