There's nothing better than a cold beer on a hot summer day. This is especially true if you're drinking beer made from a craft brewery. Craft beers are typically more flavorful than mass produced beers, they come in more varieties, and they often contain more alcohol. These factors have created a lot of fans of craft beer. If you're among those fans, why not take some time this summer to celebrate your favorite craft beers and discover some new ones at a craft beer festival? Beer festivals happen all over the country, but here are a few of the biggest and best that are definitely worth a look.

1. Summerfest Live!

In July, the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania hosts Summerfest Live! This is a craft beer and music festival that promises to be a lot of fun. This one-day event features music from live bands all day long, as well as more than 150 beers from more than 75 different craft breweries.

A general admission ticket gets you a custom beer stein, and you can spend the day filling it with unlimited beer samples. You can also pay extra for perks like free snacks. Your ticket also gets you into the after-party, which is where you can find the real deals -- take home craft beers priced specially for the occasion. This is a great way to stock up on your favorite craft beer for less.

2. Washington Brewers Festival

Looking for something that's fun for the whole family? Spend Father's Day weekend at the Washington Brewers Festival in Redmond, Washington. This is a three-day event, and while the first day is designated for 21 year olds and over, it's totally fine to bring the kids on the second and third days. They can enjoy a playground featuring crafts, balloons, and inflatables, as well as a root beer garden with craft root beer and soda.

In addition to the craft beers and children's activities, this festival features food vendors, live music, and cider and wine selections. There really is something for everyone. A weekend trip to this festival would make a great Father's Day excursion, and the rest of the family can have fun at the same time. 

3. Snallygaster

Want your summer to go out with a bang? If so, Snallygaster, a Washington D.C. event that takes place in September, makes a fantastic way to say good-bye to the summer. What's more, when you pay for admission to Snallygaster, you'll be doing a good deed – profits from the event go to an organization that works to provide a sustainable food system in D.C.

Snallygaster guests get a beer mug and a limited number of beer and food tickets. You can also upgrade to get early access to a limited selection of certain beers. This end of summer festival is a great way to get a sneak preview of the pumpkin ales and other fall favorites that will soon replace the breweries' summer beers. If you're looking for a new flavor to stock your fridge with in the fall, this is a good way to find it. 

These are a few of the best, but they're by no means the only craft beer festivals coming up this summer. If you're not up for travel, you can still look for a craft beer festival in or near your own local area. Attending a festival lets you support your favorite breweries while having a blast – that's definitely what you want on tap this summer.

To learn more about craft beer, visit a brewery like Pacific Wine Merchants.