If escaping the Valley heat and exploring the best of the region’s hard cider scene sounds like a great time, head to Flagstaff this summer for the ultimate celebration of cider, mead and more. 

Slated for 12 p.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, at the Pioneer Museum in Flagstaff, the Arizona Mead & Cider Festival presents a prime opportunity to mix and mingle with the Southwest’s top cider slingers and mead makers while sampling some of their top offerings. In addition to a wide range of apple and other cider varieties, guests can sip on mead, a honey-based beverage that some say is the world’s oldest alcoholic drink, and sake selections from more than 15 local and regional purveyors. 

And while mead and cider-sampling is the festival’s central focus, guests can also try their hand at Viking Games, grab a bite from local food trucks, enjoy the sounds of live bands or study up on old-time hobbies, from backyard beekeeping to fermenting mead at home. Mead and cider makers will also have many of their selections available to-go, so score tickets before Friday, July 5, and enjoy early-bird pricing in doing so. 

What: Arizona Mead & Cider Festival

When: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019

Where: Pioneer Museum – 2340 N Fort Valley Rd, Flagstaff, AZ

Tickets: General Admission (from 1-5 p.m. includes 10 tasting tickets, a souvenir tasting glass, free parking and access to the Pioneer Museum): $35 if purchased before July 5; $40 thereafter. VIP (includes 15 tasting tickets, early access (12 p.m.), appetizer pairings, full Pioneer Museum access, and free parking): $70; available in limited quantity through Friday, July 15. 

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