Summer of Cider, Part Two

Raise a glass—the summer season officially started yesterday. Stack your summer calendar with cider events, regardless of where you call home. If you missed our first round of festivals, fairs and fun, this second edition will continue to fill your cup with cider for the rest of summer to come.

Hudson Valley Cider Festival || July 16 || Poughquag, New York || America on Tap presents to you 50+ ciders from select cideries across the United States. Why not sample them all to find your favorite? Pair with the select food options brought to you by culinary experts while enjoying live entertainment by Lucky House all day. For the sporty, there will also be a Ward Boards Cornhole tournament, so loosen up with a cider or two and stretch (your stomach with food) before getting out on the battlefield. Tickets begin at $35.

Vermont Cider Classic || July 23 || Burlington, Vermont || Second annual Vermont Cider Classic is about to arrive, bringing together local brewers for a night filled with eating, drinking and competition. Last year, Champlain Orchards brought home the win for both overall cidermaker and individual cider with their Ginger Spice. Live entertainment will also be present. Tickets begin at $25.

Ciderstock || August 20 || Middlebury, Vermont || This festival sides heavily toward the entertainments, but how can you celebrate great music, food and friends without the cider, especially when at the historic Woodstock Cidery? Luckily, the cider will be plentiful, as well as food from various food trucks. There will also be an area with lawn games for those with a competitive side. Tickets begin at $35.

Sausage and Cider Fest || August 20 || Covington, Washington || Proud member of the Northwest Cider Association, Sausage and Cider Fest celebrates all things good. Here you’ll be able to sample dozens of ciders from the Northwest while listening to Shaggy Sweet. Proceeds support initiatives of the Covington Kiwanis Club. Don’t forget to bring a blanket or lawn chair to set yourself up for a day of ultimate relaxation. Tickets begin at $35.

St. Cloud CiderFest || August 20 || St. Cloud, Minnesota || Games, cider and sampling of BBQ favorites brought to you by Big Green Egg and Ray Lampe (Dr. BBQ) will satisfy your summer festival quota. Drink cider, be merry and don’t forget to eat. Ciders you haven’t heard of, along with some you may know, will surprise your palate and may even become the go-to order. You can’t discover the new without trying. Tickets begin at $30.

Traverse City Cider Week || August 21-28 || Traverse City, Michigan || Apples, apples and more apples. As Michigan’s cider industry continues to grow ever-so rapidly, so do the cider-lovers. During this week-long event, many different cider events will be held, so don’t forget to stop by and discover cider culture like nothing you’ve seen before.

Colorado Cider Circus || August 27 || Frisco, Colorado || Tall ciders, strong ciders, light ciders and anything in between, Cider Circus has the unusual, but also the classic. Even if you aren’t a cider lover, you’ll most likely come to assimilate, and enjoy the fruits of labor. There will also be cidermaking demonstrations, a mixologist who will infuse your cider with an astonishing, fresh twist and a headlining entertainer of Big Sam’s Funky Nation, an urban funk driven sound. Copper Mountain Resort is offering lodging discounts for ticketholders to the circus. Tickets begin at $35.

Cider Dayze Festival || August 27-28 || Armada, Michigan || Deemed as Michigan’s premier cider festival, this nonprofit event consists of not only cider, but premier food and competitive cornhole as well. The cider will be plentiful, and the food, delectable. Be sure to not miss out on the ciders that will be served, for it hurts the cider’s feelings when you don’t drink it. Tickets begin at $35 a day.