The Wisconsin Beer Lovers Festival is the premier, all-Wisconsin craft beer and tasting festival. Featuring more than 150 craft beer selections from more than 40 craft breweries throughout the state, the festival pairs these breweries with local chefs, Wisconsin cheese manufacturers, or one of several brewpubs and restaurants to create a tasting portion designed to complement their beers.

New to the festival this year, Kyle Cherek of Wisconsin Foodie will host seminars for patrons to learn more about beer and food pairings. Festivalgoers also can download the new 2014 Wisconsin Beer Lovers Festival app to access a map of the festival as well as brewery and restaurant locations during the event.

This year’s festival also will feature entertainment from the Brewhaus Polka Kings. In addition, The Wisconsin Brewer’s Guild will create a “mountain of beer” assembled from beers from each participating brewery, which will be raffled off to one festival patron. All raffle proceeds will benefit the Wisconsin Brewer’s Guild.

Also for the first time, this year the festival is offering the “Wisconsin Beer Experience VIP Ticket.” This $80 ticket package includes access to a special Wisconsin Brewer’s Guild VIP tent that will feature at least 10 beers not available to other attendees, a limited-edition Wisconsin Beer Lovers Festival growler, a one-year subscription to Draft Magazine, early entry to the festival beginning at noon, and a full-meal voucher for food provided by a local restaurant in the VIP tent. Only 300 of these VIP tickets are available.

General tickets are $45 in advance and $50 at the door and include admission, a souvenir beer sampling glass and unlimited samples of beer and food pairings. Designated drivers can purchase a “Food Lovers and Designated Driver Ticket” for $25.

 For more information about the Wisconsin Beer Lovers Festival, available hotel packages and to purchase tickets, visit www.wisconsinbeerloversfest.com. For behind-the-scenes information about the festival, including the participating breweries and restaurants, follow Wisconsin Beer Lovers Festival on Twitter and Facebook.