By MATT HUMBARD — Spring brings warmer weather, flowers, more time spent outdoors — and festivals! This Saturday, Pizzeria Paradiso is hosting a beer festival in the shared parking lot of Pizzeria Paradiso Hyattsville and Art Works Now.
This is the first in a series of beer festivals from Pizzeria Paradiso and will feature at least 13 different breweries serving a total of 26 different beers. The brewery selection favors Maryland-based breweries, with a few exceptions.
“When we opened the Hyattsville location, we had a Maryland-only beer menu and people really enjoyed that,” explained Drew McCormick, beverage director at Pizzeria Paradiso.
Local breweries such as Denizens Brewing Company, of Silver Spring, and Streetcar 82 Brewing Company, of Hyattsville, as well as DC Brau from just across the DC line will be serving at the event. A couple of not-so-local breweries will also be serving a few special beers. Captain Lawrence Brewing Company from Pleasantville, New York, will debut a beer made in collaboration with Pizzeria Paradiso. “The beer is called ‘Captain Pizza’ and is a hoppy pale lager,” McCormick described. Spring Fest will be the first chance to try Captain Pizza. After the festival, the beer will be available at Pizzeria Paradiso locations. McCormick also highlighted Stone Brewing Company’s politically named, tongue-in-cheek double IPA, “I’m Peach,” which will also be served at the festival.

The festival will also celebrate “the diverse, artistic community that is Hyattsville” and feature local vendors, lawn games, and live music. Vendors include: Scarvelous, which sells handmade hats and women’s accessories; Lincoln Street Design’s fabricated jewelry using recycled materials; Green Owl Design’s boutique items; Artist & Craftsman Supply, which sells novelty toys and will be providing a bubble painting activity; handmade metal jewelery from Carol-lynn Swol; functional pottery by Katie Aldworth; Whimsy Mosaics’ handmade wall mosaics; and pottery by Rayna Pazmino Ceramics.

There are two different ticket options for the festival, both available on the Pizzeria Paradiso website. The $20 ticket comes with three 6-ounce pours of beer, while the $50 ticket comes with a souvenir glass and unlimited 6-ounce pours of beer. There will be no additional beer tickets sold for the $20 ticket holders. Children under 10 are free to attend the festival and Art Works Now is offering childcare and entertainment for children, for an additional fee. Pizzeria Paradiso will also be selling slices of pizza from their mobile pizza oven. The pizza slices will roughly be 1/3 of their standard 12″ pizza and will be available throughout the event. The restaurant will also remain open during the festival for anyone with or without a Spring Fest admission.
Pizzeria Paradiso is located at 4800 Rhode Island Ave. in Hyattsville. The Spring Beer Fest will be held noon-5 p.m. on May 12. The event will take place rain or shine.