Hood River Hard-Pressed Cider Fest is Back and Bigger Than Ever

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The Hood River County Chamber of Commerce today announced the 4th annual Hood River Hard-Pressed Cider Fest’s lineup of cideries, which is shaping up to be the biggest yet. On Saturday, April 22, 28 local and regional craft cideries – including 11 that are new to the festival – will be sampling more than 50 original ciders that showcase the wide variety of styles coming out of the Pacific Northwest’s booming cider scene.

In addition to adding more cideries to its line-up, the Hood River Hard-Pressed Cider Fest is expanding its footprint with new outdoor tents and increased seating, giving attendees more space to enjoy the craft ciders regardless of the weather.

“Set among the Hood River Valley orchards at the height of Blossom Time, the Hood River Hard-Fest Cider Fest celebrates the area’s scenic beauty as well as its growing cider scene. It’s a winning combination, and we’re excited to expand the festival this year, giving people both more cideries to experience and more room for doing so,” said Mike Glover, CEO, Hood River County Chamber of Commerce.

The 11 new cideries participating this year come from across the Pacific Northwest, from Eugene, Oregon to Wenatchee, Washington. They include Bauman’s Cider Company (Gervais, OR), Draper Girls (Mt. Hood, OR), Legend Cider Company (The Dalles, OR), Double Mountain Brewery (Hood River, OR), Tumalo Cider Co. (Bend, OR) and WildCraft CiderWorks (Eugene).

As the cider industry matures, so does its offerings. “This year we are seeing more fruit-infused ciders, creating a daring and unique flavor experience for tasters. These varieties are joining the traditional hard apple ciders, as well as sustainable farm-to-glass ciders,” said Ashley May, Director of Events at Hood River County Chamber of Commerce. “There’s truly something for every palate, and we know people will discover a new favorite style or cidery when they come to the festival!”

Festival-goers will be able to sample food from local restaurants, including Parkdale’s Apple Valley BBQ and Hood River’s Leah’s Lunch and Solstice Wood Fire Café. The daylong event also features a lineup of live musicians playing everything from upbeat Americana to downhome country, and a kids’ area, complete with a bouncy house. Spring showers aren’t a problem, as the tasting takes place in a covered hall and tents.

Hood River Hard-Pressed Cider Fest is the anchor event for Hood River Blossom Time, a month-long celebration of the beauty and agricultural heritage of the area. For a list of top springtime activities in Hood River, go to hoodriver.org/hood-rivers-top-springtime-activities/.

Cider lovers who want to delve more deeply into the local cider scene can follow this suggested 3-day itinerary, which includes visiting local cideries and exploring the Cider Route.

“This year, more than ever, people are excited to welcome in spring, and this is the perfect event to do so, plus explore the region and drink in the beautiful blossoms, views of snow-capped mountains and Hood River’s vibrant downtown,” said Glover.

Hood River Hard-Pressed Cider Fest Event Details

•When: Saturday, April 22, 2017
•Where: 3315 Stadelman Drive, Hood River, OR
•Hours: Noon-7 PM

•Tickets:

$20 – Full event pass (day-of purchase on site). Includes entry into Cider Fest, five taste tokens, and commemorative glass.
$15 – Presale event pass (online purchase). Includes: entry into Cider Fest, five taste tokens, and commemorative glass.
$10 – Entry only. Adult entry into Cider Fest event; ages 20 and under are free. Does not include commemorative glass and tokens.

•Purchase tickets online: hoodriver.org/cider-fest/
Entertainment Line-up

•Noon – The Mesa Reynolds Band
•1:45 pm – Quiet American
•3:30 pm – The Antonyms
•5 pm – Briana Renea

About Hood River, Oregon
Located at the crossroads of the spectacular Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and the magnificent Cascade Range and just an hour from Portland, Hood River is wildly gorge-ous, offering outdoor recreation, dramatic vistas, historic landmarks, bountiful fruit and fantastic food, wine, beer and cider. The Hood River County Chamber of Commerce supports economic and tourism development in Hood River, Cascade Locks, Odell, Parkdale, Pine Grove, and Mount Hood. hoodriver.org

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