The summer season of beer festivals soon will be upon us, and it's going to be a busy one.

	Matt Freed, Post-Gazette John Chandler, of Yards Brewing Co in Philadelphia, hands out beer at the Pennsylvania Microbrewers' Fest last June. Click photo for larger image. Related article 'Dad's Little Helper' is malt with 7.5 percent alcohol

On July 8, the A.M. Lutheran Distributing Co. of West Mifflin will hold a new All-American Beer Festival featuring more than 25 American craft brewers and 100 brews at the Grand Hall at the Priory on the North Side. Admission to either of two three-hour sampling sessions (2 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m.) is $40. For tickets, see www.pittsburghsgrandhall.com or call 412-323-9394. The host brewery is nearby Penn Brewery.

"As far as I know it'll be the first time somebody's done something indoors here," says Priory owner John Graf. For this Saturday before Major League Baseball's All-Star Game, he's hoping for "a little more elegant event" than some beer fests, with hearty hors d'oeuvres set up in the outdoor courtyard if the weather permits.

As reported previously, Penn's taking a break from its own Microbrewers Fest but will hold a 20th anniversary blowout this Saturday (www.pennbrew.com or 412-237-9400).

You could travel the region and beyond all summer visiting beer festivals. Here is a wild one:

"A Tasting in the Wilds" -- of beer, wine and food -- is set for 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 8 at the Ridgway Firemen's Ground in Elk County. Sponsored by the Ridgway Heritage Council and the Ridgway-Elk County Chamber of Commerce, the festival is to include tastes from a half dozen of the region's wineries and a half dozen breweries with food from local restaurants plus music, demonstrations and more. Tasting tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door, and you must be at least 21; admission to the grounds only is $5 or free for children ages 12 and under. For tickets, call 1-814-772-1638.

Visit www.ridgwaychamber.com/.

The Sharp Edge's tenth Great European Beer Festival is set for June 24 and 25 outside the Friendship location. Tickets for each of three three-hour sessions are $38 (from either Sharp Edge location; www.sharpedgebeer.com or 412-661-3537).

The State College MicroBrewers & Importers Exposition is set for July 22. Tickets to one of two sessions (noon to 4 p.m. or 6 to 10 p.m.) are $35 (www.scbrewexpo.com or 1-814-692-8529).

Other notable festivals:

June 10's 15th annual Great Eastern Invitational Microbrewery Festival at Stoudt's Brewing Co. in Adamstown, County ($26; www.stoudtsbeer.com or 1-717-484-4386). It'll be repeated in August (when the brewery also holds a "Summer Beer Festival") and October.

June 11's Bear Creek (Mountain Resort) Brew Fest in Berks County ($30 or $25 in advance; www.skibearcreek.com/resort_info/beerfest.cfm or 1-866-SKI-AT-BC).

June 17's Harrisburg Brewers Fest, hosted by Tr?eg's Brewing to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation ($35 or $30 in advance; www.harrisburgbrewersfest.com or 1-717-671-4000).

June 23-25's tenth annual Old Dominion Beer Festival at the brewery in Ashburn, Va. ($20, or $18 in advance, plus $1 per 6-ounce sample; www.olddominion.com/pg/BeerFest or 1-703-724-9100).

July 14-16's Belgium Comes to Cooperstown (N.Y.) at the Ommegang Brewery ($40, or $35 in advance, plus $15 for a camp site; www.ommegang.com or 1-800-544-1809).

Aug. 11-13's 11th Toronto Festival of Beer ($25 to $30, less $5 in advance; www.beerfestival.ca/index.html).

Aug. 26's eighth AleFest Dayton in Ohio benefiting The Diabetes Association of the Dayton Area ($30 or $25 in advance; www.AleFest.com).