JACKPOT! For local beer lovers, the next two weeks are pretty much the closest thing to nirvana

Happy beer drinkers at a past AleFest Dayton. The 21st annual AleFest takes place Aug. 24  in downtown Dayton.

Happy beer drinkers at a past AleFest Dayton. The 21st annual AleFest takes place Aug. 24 in downtown Dayton.

Beer festivals and other brewery-themed events coming up in the next couple of weeks make August the best time for Dayton-area craft-beer enthusiasts to be thirsty.

Much of the action will  happen in downtown Dayton. Here’s just a small sampling:

• It starts this weekend, when the Yellow Cab Tavern at 700 E. Fourth St. in downtown Dayton hosts an event called "Beer! A Celebration of Dayton Brewing" from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 16. It's the fifth year for the beer event, and the second year it has been paired up with Yellow Cab's August food truck rally.

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For this event, each brewery — and there are 17 Dayton-area craft breweries participating — will provide a signature beer for tasting. Entry to the event is free; eight 6-ounce pours with a commemorative glass are available with advance registration at $20. Otherwise, each 6-ounce pour costs $3 at the event.

“With so many exciting beer events in August, it’s been great to have one that focuses on all of the amazing brewing that’s happening right here in the Miami Valley,” Yellow Cab spokesman Brian Johnson said in a release.

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For more information about Beer! A Celebration of Dayton Brewing,” call (937) 424-3870

• The following afternoon, Great American Beer Tasting returns to Fifth Third Field in downtown Dayton from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17. The Dayton Dragons and Heidelberg Distributing have been partnering for this annual event for 12 years, bringing a variety of beers, ciders and seltzers for fans to try.

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Tickets are $40 and are available in advance at www.daytondragons.com/beertasting. The tickets include 20 four-ounce samples, a raffle ticket for prizes, a 2019 souvenir pint glass with new four-ounce and eight-ounce pour lines and access to activities and games on the field.

Designated-driver tickets are available for $5 and provide a 2019 souvenir pint glass, five four-ounce samples of non-alcoholic beverages at the event, and a voucher for a complimentary soda or water.

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Dragons fans also can sign up at the Dragons box office Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On the day of the event, gates will open at 1:30 p.m. with ID checks starting at 12:30 p.m. This event is for those 21 and older.

• After generating more than $56,000 for a Dayton Foundation tornado-relief fund through its Dayton  Strong Beer Bash, the Dayton Brewery Alliance is continuing its relief efforts by collaborating on a beer called #DaytonStrong IPA. Proceeds from sale of the beer will go to victims of the Memorial Day tornadoes.

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Several local and regional breweries are making versions of the special IPA to serve in their taprooms and to sell to other member breweries of the Dayton Brewers Alliance. Warped Wing Brewing Company will be canning over 1,000 cases to be distributed to the retail market.

The release of the #DaytonStrong IPA will involve a “Sneak Peak” release on tap at Yellow Cab Beer! Event on Friday, Aug. 16; a taproom release at all Dayton-area breweries on Saturday, Aug. 17; and Warped Wing’s distribution of cans to  bars, restaurants and retail accounts starting Monday, Aug. 19.

•  Dayton Beer Week kicks off this Sunday, Aug. 18, with the 9th Annual Dayton Beer Pride Parade, which begins at 1 p.m. in front of the Dublin Pub at East Fifth Street and Wayne Avenue, travels east on Fifth and ends at the shared parking lot adjacent to Thai9. Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley will lead the parade and tap the first cask of Beer Week.  The parade is a precursor to a variety of special tastings and events at local beer pubs, breweries and restaurants throughout the week, which set the stage for the culminating event, AleFest Dayton.

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The 21st Annual AleFest Dayton will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 at the  Dayton  Convention Center, 22 E. Fifth St. in downtown  Dayton. It will feature regional and international craft beers, and plenty to choose from, along with live music and food. The event will feature a variety of vintage and rare beers.

AleFest Dayton is Ohio's longest running craft beer festival. General admission allows attendees to sample from an assortment of more than 200 beers. Live music will be provided by The Fries.

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General admission tickets are $45 in advance, $50 at the door. “VIP” tickets allow for entry an hour early, at 3 p.m., and cost $60 in advance, $65 at the door. Each admission includes 20 samples of craft beer, a commemorative tasting glass, a sampling guide, and live entertainment. Food concessions will be available, and a silent auction also will be held.

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Advance tickets may be purchased online at alefest.com. A portion of the proceeds benefit the event's non-profit partners, which include the Dayton Area Rugby Club, Five Rivers Youth Rugby Foundation, Alzheimer's Association Miami Valley Chapter, Bike Miami Valley, Dayton Ballet, Dayton Art Institute, and UpDayton. In addition, a portion of proceeds will go to the Dayton Tornado Relief Initiative as well as the Oregon District Tragedy Fund.

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