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Philly Beer Week includes some awesomely unusual events combining amazing beer and fun-filled festivities.
(Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC)

Philly Beer Week is fast approaching, kicking off this Friday, June 3 and taking over bars and restaurants throughout Philadelphia for ten days of sudsy celebrations.

Festivities range from special beer dinners to our With Love Beer Garden at the Four Seasons. You can check out our general Beer Week primer for an overview.

Plus, events of a funkier stripe — think brewer dunking, mechanical bull riding, a ladies beer tea and a beer boxing match — will highlight Philadelphia’s fun approach to craft beer.

Check out some of our top picks, below:

• Beer-lebrity Boxing at Kite & Key: Saturday, June 4, 2 p.m. Local brewers step in the ring for an epic series of boxing match-ups. Beers from all participating “boxers” will be featured on draft.

• Lefthand Arm Wrestling Tournament: Saturday, June 4, 7 p.m. Tournament starts at 9 p.m. The competition heats up at the South Philadelphia Tap Room as Lefthand Brewery searches for the area’s top arm wrestler. The catch? You can only use your left arm. The winner gets beer, gift certificates and everlasting bragging rights… or lefts.

• The Wire Quizzo with Johnny Goodtimes: Sunday, June 5, 9 p.m. If you, like so many others, harbor an unbridled passion for HBO’s gritty, Baltimore-based crime drama The Wire, join Quizzo master Johnny Goodtimes and North Coast Brewer Doug Moody for a night of Wire trivia at the Pub on Passyunk East (P.O.P.E).

• Punk Rock & Finger Sandwiches: Monday, June 6, noon. One of the original “off-center” brewers, Sam Calagione from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery will join Homebrew Chef Sean Paxton at Nodding Head for a lunchtime cocktail party complete with Punk Rock, Finger Sandwiches and optional black-tie party.

• Gong Show at Standard Tap: Thursday, June 9, 7:30 p.m. Prove your love for beer with poetry, song, dance, juggling, ventriloquism — you get the idea. Sponsored by Philadelphia Brewing Company, the show will reward top talents with prizes, but if you hear the gong, you’re gone.

More events, below.

• Dunk a Beer-lebrity at London Grill: Tuesday, June 7, 4 p.m. Show your love for your favorite brewer by sending them swimming during the Dunk a Beer-lebrity celebration at London Grill. Brewers and reps from Yards, Ithaca, Muller Beverages, Origlio, Slyfox, Lefthand, Stoudt’s, Weyerbacher, Flying Fish, Sierra Nevada, Spy vs. Spy, Long Trail and Shangy’s will put their dryness on the line to benefit the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society.

• Mechanical Bull Riding at Percy Street Barbecue: Tuesday, June 7, 7 p.m. For the second time, Percy Street Barbecue is proving their Southern cred by installing a mechanical bull inside the restaurant. Pay as you ride for a chance to win various prizes throughout the night. But everyone’s a winner regardless as Chef Erin O’Shea will be serving BBQ specials which you can wash down with special Victory Brewing Company beers.

• Bike the Ben: Wednesday, June 8, 7 p.m. Join fellow beer lovers for a leisurely sunset bike ride across the Ben Franklin Bridge. The group will depart from Race Street Café before stopping at the base of the bridge for a tasting of bridge-themed beers served from Trophy Bike’s custom Dutch Bakfiets cargo bike and bar. Participants are required to bring a helmet, lights and a lock. Email mcget@aol.com to reserve your spot.

• Beauty of the Beerholder: Thursday, June 9, 9 p.m. Experience the literal art of drinking during this event at the Draught Horse Pub. Enjoy beer-inspired artwork while partaking in $0.99 Magic Hat #9.

• Ride The Rails with Boxcar Brewing Company: Friday, June 10, 7 p.m. Board the West Chester Railroad train, grab a beer and ride the rails to the Glen Mills picnic grove for food, entertainment and more beer.

• PBC Fried Chicken Run: Saturday, June 11, 4 p.m. Join the South Philly Taproom, Philadelphia Brewing Company and the Fishtown Beer Runners for a brisk run from PBC in Kensington to the Taproom followed by a fried chicken cookout. Non-runners are welcome at the festitivies at SPTR, too. There will be an $8 fried chicken special and a full lineup of specially priced PBC beer.

• Ladies Beer Tea: Sunday, June 12, 2:30 p.m. A civilized end to Beer Week, Ladies’ High Tea replaces the tea with beer. Enjoy great brews, plus tea time savories, finger sandwiches and sweets at The Belgian Café.

• Dock Street to Dock Street Run: Sunday, June 12, 11:30 a.m. Run for great beer and prizes at the 4th Annual Philly Beer Run. The course returns to the site of 2009′s with a Dock Street (that’s an actual street in Old City) to Dock Street (the brewpub in West Philly) run. Along the run, runners “collect” clues that can help them win great prizes donated by local bars and breweries. After, stick around for Dock Street’s 3rd Annual Music Festival.

• That Totally Unnecessary Drink: Sunday, June 12, 7 p.m. At this entertaining end-of-Philly Beer Week tradition, the last hurrah has you joining local brewers, the I.P.A. Girls and Fergie himself for a rollicking Karaoke Party upstairs at Fergie’s Pub. Enjoy special beers from Sly Fox and more.

All our Philly Beer Week coverage is available here, and you can check out the official Philly Beer Week guide here.