The United States is home to some of the most renowned beer festivals in the world. From the Great American Beer Festival to Grovetoberfest, there are plenty of opportunities to sample craft beers and celebrate the art of brewing. To help you find the best beer festivals in the US, we asked a panel of beer experts to nominate their top picks and then readers voted for their favorites. Here are the 10 best beer festivals in the US that you should not miss. The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) is one of the oldest beer events in North America and is held every September in Denver.
It's the largest beer festival in the US, with more than 190 craft brewers showcasing over 1,400 beers. Attendees can sample beers, attend beer-focused seminars, and enjoy food from local vendors while strolling through a beautiful park overlooking Lake Monona. Grovetoberfest is the largest beer festival in Florida and takes place every October in Coconut Grove. It attracts more than 8,000 attendees and showcases over 250 craft beers. The event focuses mainly on craft beer and its culinary relevance. The All Star Craft Beer, Wine and Cocktail Festival takes over baseball stadiums in cities across the country.
Festival tickets include unlimited samples, with more than 100 beer, wine and cocktail options (with a strong focus on local offerings), live music, a souvenir tasting glass, garden games and access to the countryside. The Great Taste of the Midwest is one of the best beer festivals on the East Coast. It's billed as one of the oldest beer events in North America and brings more than 190 of the best craft brewers in the Midwest to Madison every year. Attendees can sample more than 1,400 beers, attend beer-focused seminars, and sample food from local vendors. Brewgaloo is the largest craft beer festival in North Carolina and the second largest craft beer festival in the country. It takes place every April in downtown Raleigh with more than 110 craft breweries across the state.
To help customers drink responsibly, Brewgaloo has several local food truck vendors. The Sour Beer Festival focuses on less conventional beers such as aged, sour and infused beers. It's an opportunity to try something new and be amazed at how tasty beer can be. The festival features 19 breweries and live music and picnic-style food. SAVOR is not just any beer festival experience - it's a culinary and craft beer experience with hundreds of unique beers that can be mixed together. The event takes place every year at Nationals Park in Washington DC. San Diego is considered one of the craft beer capitals of the US, so it's no surprise that it hosts one of the best beer festivals in the country.
The San Diego Beer Festival takes place every year at Liberty Station with more than 100 breweries showcasing their beers. The Patty's Day Beer Festival celebrates St Patrick's Day with a costume contest for those who want to dress up as a lumberjack or Scottish beard or skirt. The event also features grass games like giant beer pong, giant Jenga, and Peach State Cornhole. Finally, Art+Biz is an emerging trend that celebrates art and business with a focus on craft beer. The festival takes place every year at Allegheny Commons Park West in Pittsburgh with live music and food trucks. It also awards an Art+Biz Scholarship to a student from western Pennsylvania who is pursuing a post-secondary education in the arts.
