After the unfortunate circumstances of last year’s THE Festival in Portland, nobody was really sure if another organizer would tackle the mess of craziness that is Maine’s antiquated approach to beer regulation.  But miracles happen, especially when beer is involved.

Sierra Nevada just announced a 7-stop series of festivals they’re calling “The largest craft beer celebration in history.”  Beer Camp Across America begins in Chico, CA on July 19, swinging through San Diego, Denver, Chicago, Portland, Philly, and Mills River, NC, where their new East Coast brewery will settle in and get to work making their signature elixirs.

The best part is, they’re inviting every craft brewery to join the tour.  Not a typo: EVERY CRAFT BREWERY.  Do you make beer and sell it?  Congrats, you’re invited on the tour.  There’s a form to fill out, a logo to submit, and that’s pretty much it.

The little saplings in the beer arboretum will be joined by old growth giants like 3 Floyds, Allagash, Bell’s, Cigar City, Firestone Walker, Hill Farmstead, Lagunitas, New Glarus, Russian River, and lots of others.  It’s fitting that Sierra Nevada, a brewery many consider to be the progenitor of craft beer as we know it, will be heading this up.  Genius!

Tickets are available as we speak, including a master pass for all seven stops.  I’m crazy enough to buy one of those, but I’m also broke enough to stay put here in Portland.  Stay tuned for pics of that stop on August 1.