It’s that time of year again. No, we aren’t talking about seemingly endless rain-filled days in preparation for the warm, sunny summer days in our near future. We’re talking about beer festival season. That’s right. If you love IPAs, stouts, pale ales, sour ales, lagers, and everything in between, now until the fall is prime beer festival season from beer-soaked coast to beer-soaked coast.
In my more than 20 years of writing about beer professionally, I’ve been to my fair share of beer festival seasons. And I can tell you, April through October is the best time of year to be a beer drinker. There are countless beer festivals in places like Chicago, Portland, Maine, and even Madison, Wisconsin. The season all culminates in October with the Great American Beer Festival in Denver.
The best beer festivals in the US
As I mentioned before, now through the fall isn’t just the time of year when the weather gets sunnier and warmer; it’s also beer festival season. Since there are more than 9,000 breweries of every size currently operating in the US, that means there’s a lot of beer sampling to go around. This also means there are many beer festivals. Some are small, local events, and others are giant events that bring breweries from all over a particular region or the country as a whole.
But fear not. You don’t have to sift through hundreds of large and small beer festivals to find the most worthwhile ones. We did the work for you. Below, you’ll find some of the best beer festivals to visit this spring, summer, and even into the fall to keep you from being thirsty for the next six months. Keep scrolling to see them all so you’ll know where to take your next beer-centric road trip.
Chicago Maifest (Chicago) May 29-31
Start your beer festival tour in the Windy City this May at the Chicago Maifest. This event proves that you don’t need to wait until October to enjoy a German beer festival. This isn’t an event for those looking for dozens of breweries; this is all about the music, food, and beer. There will be stages featuring traditional German music and other entertainment, as well as foods like pretzels, bratwurst, leberkaese (a Bavarian meatloaf), and Pabst Blue Ribbon and Hofbräu beer.
Firestone Walker Invitational (Paso Robles, California) May 30
If you’re a fan of classic West Coast IPAs, you’ll want to travel to Paso Robles, California, in late May to attend the Firestone Walker Invitational. Celebrated each year to benefit the nonprofit Paso Robles Pioneer Day, this event features a 30th-anniversary block party, live music, tasty food vendors, and beer samples from 70 breweries.
Wavy Days Beer Fest (Portland, Maine) June 27
Portland, Maine, isn’t the biggest city. What it lacks in size, it makes up for in brewing prowess. It’s home to the likes of Shipyard, Allagash, Oxbow, and Bissell Brothers. In late June, the coastal New England city will also be home to the Wavy Days Beer Fest. Enjoy live music and lobster roll while you sample beer from more than 60 breweries from all over the US and Canada.
Vermont Brewers Festival (Burlington, Vermont) July 17-18
Vermont is a beer drinker’s dream. Many of the most well-known breweries in the US are located in this northeastern state. It makes sense that Burlington would host the Vermont Brewers Festival in mid-July. Not only will the event feature picturesque lake views, yard games, and food vendors, but attendees will also be able to sample beer from more than 40 breweries.
Barrel Flow & Fest (Pittsburgh) August 8
If you find yourself near Pittsburgh this August, make sure to attend Barrel Flow & Fest. Over 75 breweries and distilleries took part in the event last year, including 33 black-owned businesses. On top of that, many breweries collaborate with black artists, businesses, and performers on drinks. On top of the beer and booze, there will be live music, DJs, live visual artists, and speakers. There will also be food vendors and artisans.
Telluride Blues and Brews Festival (Telluride, Colorado) September 18-20
If you visit the Telluride Blues and Brews Festival, not only do you get to see talented musical acts and sip frosty beer, but you also get epic views of the surrounding mountains. We can’t think of a more picturesque place to watch notable musical acts like Taj Mahal and Jon Batiste, sample beer from 28 breweries, and nibble on mouthwatering food from countless vendors.
Great American Beer Festival (Denver) October 10-11
The beer festival season culminates in October at the Great American Beer Festival. The biggest beer showcase on the planet, this event features beer judging, seemingly endless food options, and more than 1,500 breweries. Yes, you read that right. We weren’t kidding when we said this was the biggest beer event of the year.
