Heres the cure for the common wine snob: the Seattle International Beerfest. All weekend, Friday through Sunday, you can sample some 130 varieties of ale and lager, including the 2005 Double Bastard, Honeymoon Nectar, and the ominously named Judgment Day. (Is it endorsed by Schwarzenegger himself?) Proceeds go to Pet Cross, a local nonprofit animal-rescue organization. You get 10 drinks for each ticket (more tastes can be purchased at a buck apiece), which also includes live music ranging from bluegrass to jazz (cue the Haggis Brothers). Various hot dog and sausage stands cost extra, and theres a separate beer garden to supersize your stein. For designated drivers (God bless every one of them, at $5 a head), the event also offers chess, checkers, and backgammon. What better way to spend the Fourth of July weekend than by honoring a true American traditiondowning brewskis with a bunch of friendly strangers? Seattle Center Mural Amphitheater, 684-7100, www.seattlebeerfest.com. $20. Noon10 p.m. EMMA BREYSSE
July 5-6, noon, 2008
