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Your Sneak Peek at Las Vegas Downtown Brew Festival 2018

Lee Heidel
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Las Vegas is a favorite haunt for people who like to take risks. When visiting the world-famous casinos, each roll of the dice, pull of the lever, or spin of the roulette wheel can bring the joys of winning or the despairs of losing. Whether the bet is $10 or thousands, you must have a high tolerance for risk to walk onto the gambling room floor.

Sure, things in Vegas aren’t usually guaranteed, but beer lovers can experience the closest thing to an assured win by attending the Las Vegas Downtown Brew Festival. The location is away from the glitz of the fabled Las Vegas Strip in the place where Vegas started, the city’s resurgent downtown. The 2018 iteration of the 1-day beer tasting event is the 7th annual celebration and will be held on October 20 this year.

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The Las Vegas Downtown Brew Festival promises 200-plus craft beers representing more than 60 breweries, a live music stage, food vendors, and VIP upgrade experiences. While the relatively short 5 p.m to 9 p.m. window doesn’t leave as much room for tasting as many all-day festivals, there are early access packages that can grant an extra hour of drinking time (and who wouldn’t want an extra hour of drinking time?). VIP tickets include the bonuses of early entry, indoor restrooms, and covered seating.

Las Vegas Downtown Brew Festival 1
Las Vegas Downtown Brew Festival/Facebook

Local breweries pouring at the festival include Lovelady Brewing Co., Ellis Island Casino & Brewery, CraftHaus Brewery, and PT’s Brewing Company.  The larger roster features regional breweries like California’s Bootlegger’s Brewery and Utah’s Hop Valley Brewing Co. National brands like Samuel Adams will also be represented.

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Pricing for the Downtown Brew Festival starts at a very reasonable $35 for general admission. For $10 more, you can purchase early entry; VIP is available at $80 per ticket.

While planning your downtown stay for the Brew Festival, make time to experience the rest of what downtown Las Vegas has to offer. There are amazing restaurants —from the whimsical novelties of Donut Bar to the hearty sophistication of Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse, there’s an interesting meal designed for every palate. Vegas history buffs can spend time at museums dedicated to the Mafia and the iconic local art form of neon signs. And if you need another drink, there are several good beer bars in Vegas.

The 7th annual Las Vegas Downtown Brew Festival will be held on October 20, 2018, from 5 p.m to 9 p.m. PST. Learn more and buy tickets at the official festival website.

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Lee Heidel
Lee Heidel
Lee Heidel is the managing editor of Brew/Drink/Run, a website and podcast that promotes brewing your own beer, consuming the…
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