The summer stretches onward. There is still beer to drink, shows and festivals to attend, comedy to make you laugh, and poetry to inspire you. Let’s get going.

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Lawrence Brewer’s Guild 20th anniversary firkin tapping, music from Maw at 6ish and tapping at 7 p.m. Thursday, Free State Brewing Company

The Lawrence Brewer’s Guild is celebrating its 20th anniversary exactly as you’d expect: by making beer and drinking it.

This shindig on the Free State patio kicks off with MAW’s energetic, always fun, all-female bluegrass but, let’s face it, the headliner here is the beer.

The Brewers are calling Thursday’s beer “Chocolate Birthday Cake,” described as “a blend of Owd Mac 2015 and Chili Mac (Owd Mac infused with cocoa nib, ancho chili, vanilla bean and Vietnamese cinnamon).” What??

Sample if you dare for $5 or $6, which also gets you a complimentary glass.

http://www.lawrence.com/users/photos/2015/jul/18/294489/

Basic Boys comedy showcase, 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Jazzhaus

If you’ve got a belly full of strange potent chocolate beer from the firkin tapping earlier in the evening, you may need a few laughs (and some Tums).

Consider heading over to the Jazzhaus for an evening of Lawrence and KC comedians with music from Narkalark. The low price of $3 gets you six comics and a band. Not bad.

According to some of the head honchos at the Harpoon Presents comedy collective, the Basic Boys event was designed in part to let comedians who often serve as hosts take a turn in the headlining slots for a change.

The Facebook event page has more details and a bunch of Michael Bay references. Note too that a Basic Boys “sequel” is already in the works and will take place at The Break Room in Topeka on Aug. 14.

http://www.lawrence.com/users/photos/2015/jul/17/294456/

Forever Fest, 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, Replay Lounge, continues Saturday in “the countryside”

It’s been a long few weeks without a festival in LFK, but the folks at the Whatever Forever music/cassette label are delivering a reliably weird one this weekend.

The Fest itself takes place, as a good fest should, out in the countryside in North Lawrence on Saturday. But the proceedings kick off Friday with a jam-packed evening of local bands at the Replay. Dean Monkey and the Dropouts (who you can read more about in this Lcom interview) will play some doo-wop, Danny Pound and Doug McKinney will make some unusual noises, and Baby Birds Don’t Drink Milk are back on the scene.

If you are bold enough to venture out to the “countryside freak fest” on Saturday, expect a barbecue potluck and a compilation release party for a new cassette that features a whole slew of other LFK bands and artwork designed by Jason Barr. Your Friend and Paper Buffalo will be rocking the festival along with many more.

The Facebook event page with all the necessary details is here.

http://www.lawrence.com/users/photos/2015/jul/17/294458/

Robert Earl Keen, doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m. Saturday, Granada

Perhaps you’ve never caught one of the legendary sets from prolific Texas troubadour Robert Earl Keen and aren’t sure what to expect. Let us tell you.

Expect a vital mix of older and younger fans. Expect them to be drinking heavily. Expect them to occasionally sing along. Expect a skillful mix of funny and poignant songs full of memorable turns of phrase. Expect to find yourself drunk and eventually singing along as well to the following refrain: “The road goes on forever and the party never ends.” Expect to find yourself believing it (at least until the next morning).

Distant warning: Keen’s pal (and college roomie) Lyle Lovett hits town in October. The smart move is to see them both.

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Taproom Poetry Series, 5 p.m. Sunday, Eighth Street Taproom

Many Lawrencians (including us) end their weekends with early evening music on the Replay patio and/or Game of the Week kickball action at Hobbs Park. A more “sophisticated” alternative for this Sunday, however, is the return of this vibrant poetry series in the Taproom basement.

The events begin with a short, well-run open-mic prior to the featured readers. This month’s showcase poets are Evie Shockley, in town from Rutgers, and William J. Harris, KU professor and jazz scholar (we call him Billy Joe and that’s cool because we know him).

Visit the Facebook event page for more info on this month’s featured poets.

Note for the truly ambitious: The start times for the poetry series, Replay patio show, and Game of the Week allow one, in theory, to attend ALL THREE of these events and therefore become the coolest person in town on a Sunday.

Douglas County Fair, ongoing through Aug. 2, Douglas County Fairgrounds

It’s fair time all over Kansas.

The most popular events of the Douglas County fair have yet to arrive (the midway opens next Wednesday and the Derby happens on July 31). But the fair itself is underway with various events throughout this weekend and next week that might be worth a look.

Pro-tip: The “Chef’s Challenge” event next Wednesday is a fun affair and a great way to score free grub cooked on the spot by some of LFK’s best chefs. Pair it with a few midway corndogs and it’s a memorable summer feast.

Check out this recent preview and schedule courtesy of LJ-World, and we’ll offer our thoughts on the always-popular demo-derby in next week’s column.

Tweet us @LarryvilleLife. We’re out here, listening.