There’s a good time coming at Seattle Center, where you’ll want to get your springtime beer on. It’ll start on a Sonics game night, Friday, March 25, so maybe you’ll want to show up early or go on Saturday, March 26, when you won’t have to compete with basketball fans for parking spots. We’re talking about the third annual Hops on Equinox Spring Beer Festival. You’ll see lots of familiar microbrews from local breweries like Pike, Pyramid, Redhook, Grant’s, and Hale’s, as well as newer names Georgetown Brewing (Roger’s Pilsner is a must-try), Druids Brewing, Far West Brewing, and the state’s newest brewery, Iron Horse Brewing from Ellensburg. Out-of-state beers? Sure: Anderson Valley, BridgePort, Big Sky, Ommegang, and some imports like Charles Wells’ Bombardier, Young’s Special London Ale, and exotic Belgian-style treats from Canada’s Unibroue. Craft-brewed lagers? Besides the aforementioned Roger’s Pilsner, you’ll have Alpine Brewing and Baron Brewing offering their Teutonic best. Bringing someone who prefers fruit to barley and hops? Get your cider on instead, from Wyder’s, Spire Mountain, Westcott Bay, and all the way from Merrie Olde England, Aspall.

Brewfest beer sampling makes for an appetite, so the Barking Dog Alehouse folks will be in charge of catering for the evening. There will also be “Pub Culture” food sampling sessions, and if you don’t know by now, this is the tie-in with the Great Seattle Pub Quest, a beery parallel to the 25 for $25 deal going on this month. The GSPQ features a 12 for $12 deal, with 12 good beer joints—10 alehouses and two brewpubs—featuring Pub Quest menus for 12 bucks. If you hit five or more of the participating GSPQ pubs, they’ll even lay a freebie ticket on you for admission to Hops on Equinox. Get out there, chow down on good pub eats, and enjoy a pint alongside. What are you waiting for, spring?

Hops on Equinox, 5–11 p.m. Friday, 1–11 p.m. Saturday. Fisher Pavilion, Seattle Center. One-day tickets: $15 advance (nonrefundable), $20 at the gate. Admission includes 5-oz. souvenir tasting glass and six beer tickets. For further information and ticket outlets, go to www.washingtonbrewfest.com/spring/index.php.