John Bourneuf, left, of Lawrence, and Maria Vopat, of Mission, have a taste of the Kansas Craft Brewers Exposition on Saturday, March 3, 2012, at Abe and Jake’s Landing, 8 E. Sixth St., among hundreds of other beer enthusiasts.

Here’s a bit of cheery news on a dreary Monday, at least for those of us who appreciate a good beer: The wildly popular Kansas Craft Brewers Exposition has set a date for this year’s event in Lawrence, slated for March 5 at Abe & Jake’s Landing, 8 E. Sixth St.

(“Wildly popular” is not hyperbolic newspaper speak here: Downtown Lawrence Inc., a co-sponsor of the expo, reported that 500 tickets were purchased in a single minute during last year’s sales.)

The fifth annual event, which attracts craft breweries of varying sizes from across the region, will offer two sessions this year, from noon to 3 p.m. and 4:30 to 7 p.m. Also on the roster: food, music, merchandise, informational and educational displays, and beer samples galore.

The Kansas Craft Brewers Guild, along with Downtown Lawrence Inc., sponsor the annual event with help from organizer and Free State Brewing Co. owner Chuck Magerl.

Tickets are slated to go on sale Friday. The expo’s website claims tickets have already sold out, but a representative from Downtown Lawrence Inc. has assured us the website simply hasn’t been fully updated since last year’s event, hence the premature “sold out” notice. Tickets will go on sale Friday as planned.

Details, including ticket information, are available at www.kscraftbrewfest.com.