Tacoma—like much of the Northwest—loves its beer. With an increasing number of local microbreweries turning out some stand-out beers, Tacoma needed a beer fest worthy of the brews. Enter Brew Five Three—an annual summer beer block party held in August in the city’s Theatre District on Broadway between S 9^th and S 11^th.

Also check out: Best Microbreweries in Seattle and Tacoma 

Beer

Beer is the number one reason you should go to Brew Five Three. The event is a great size—not overwhelming, but large enough that the number of breweries represented is a strong showing of Northwest beers at their finest. There are generally 30 brewers, plus or minus. You’ll find breweries from Seattle, Spokane, Olympia and a bit farther afoot as well, but this is Tacoma and Tacoma beers get a lot of attention here. You’ll see Wingman, Tacoma Brewers, Narrows and other local favorites. Wingman in particular draws a crowd so if you see their coconut porter on tab, grab some quickly as it won’t last long!

Many breweries showcase special and more interesting brews alongside a regular offering or two. Some of these are simply outstanding. Seattle’s Hilliard brought a Saison called Suffering Bastard to the 2015 event that’s barrel aged and limited edition. I spent two tokens to try this one twice.

Music

Music at Brew Five Three can either be a great backdrop to the event or a highlight of your time there. There’s one stage set up in the grassy area outside of the Theatre on the Square and several bands play throughout the day. Take a seat on the grass or along one of the cement walls near the stage, or listen from a distance. You can hear the music from most areas of the event. Bands skew toward—you guessed it—blues.

Food

Where there is beer, there is food. Each year, the event brings in food vendors and some of Tacoma’s food trucks. In 2015, Viet Nom Nom, Fish Basket and Lumpia World were highlights, but if you seek something lighter there is often fare such as kettle corn, too.

If you’re looking for a full meal either before or after the event, there are plenty of restaurants nearby, including several a couple blocks away between 11^th and 13^th on Broadway. Two blocks down on Pacific are plenty of other restaurants, from upscale like Pacific Grill to Starbucks.

Tickets

Always buy your tickets in advance. When you get to the event, there will be a long line of people who did not buy their tickets in advance—they’re paying more for buying at the door, but even worse, this event does sell out. Buying tickets at the door can mean you don’t get in. In 2015, the event sold out about halfway through the day.

Tickets include a tasting glass and six tasting tokens (each one gets you a four-ounce pour). If you need more tokens that than, you can buy them inside the event.

Parking

Most street parking around the Theater District is paid parking and has time limits. If you don’t mind paying for parking, there is a parking garage adjacent to the theater complex with an entrance off of Commerce Street.

If you like your parking free, you can also park at the Tacoma Dome and take the Link over. It takes a little longer, but you won’t have to worry about how long you’ll be at the event as you can have your car at the Tacoma Dome Station for up to 24 hours.

Places to hang out if you need more time to sober up

Brew Five Three goes through the afternoon and into the evening, but if you find yourself not quite ready to drive home at the end of the event (and you didn’t bring a designated driver), there are plenty of places to hang out nearby. The restaurants on Broadway and Pacific are varied in price point and cuisine type, but you can also keep the party rolling at Keys on Main or Dorky’s Arcade (both on Pacific).