It’s a strange time of year. The spring season is in full swing, but we’re still well over a month away from the start of summer. In many parts of the northern hemisphere, it’s already starting to feel like summer. But just because summer with its seemingly endless days of warm (and sometimes over-the-top hot) temperatures and cloudless, sunny skies is officially still farther away than we’d like, it’s definitely not too soon to start planning your summer road trips. And, while we enjoy a nice day trip to an amusement park, aquarium, baseball game, or any many of zoo or animal safari, we’d prefer our trips to at least involve beer at some point.
And, while mapping out a journey between a few breweries is a great summer road trip, we’d rather just find a way to enjoy as many different beers as possible from multiple breweries all in one place. That’s where beer festivals come in. While they vary in format, in most cases you buy a ticket in advance. When you arrive, they hand you a glass adorned with the name of said festival. You enter and walk around, sampling beers from dozens of breweries. What could be better? Well, many beer festivals also have live music and mouth-watering food. Yeah, that’s our idea of a summer vacation.
Now that we’ve determined that attending a beer festival is a lot more fun than watching a zookeeper feed penguins (although they are adorable) or riding an ancient, wooden rollercoaster, it’s time to actually figure out which ones you’re going to attend. This is especially important because, even though we’re months away from some, many beer festivals sell out in advance.
Fear not, you don’t have to spend a day scouring the internet for beer festivals within a day’s drive. We did that for you. Below, you’ll find nine great beer festivals from California to Atlantic City and everywhere in between. Keep scrolling to see them all.
Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest
- Where: Paso Robles, California
- When: June 3rd
While summer doesn’t technically begin until the end of June, why would you want to wait that long to enjoy some frosty, delicious beer? Especially at the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest in Paso Robles, California. Tickets are on sale for the event which will feature 55 different breweries. The festival isn’t just a great place to try delicious brews, it’s also for charity. The event benefits Paso Robles Pioneer Day, a non-profit organization.
Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival
- Where: Atlantic City, New Jersey
- When: June 3rd and 4th
If you’re on the other coast on that same day, you might want to attend the Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival instead. Presented by Ocean Casino Resort, the festival celebrates its third anniversary at Bader Field. Highlighted by more than 35 breweries and performances by Dropkick Murphy’s and 311, this is sure to be an event music and beer fans won’t want to miss.
The Rochester Real Beer Expo
- Where: Rochester, New York
- When: June 10th
For those unaware, Rochester, New York is a great beer town. Home to more than thirty breweries, including the massive Genesee Brewery, it’s also home to the Rochester Real Beer Expo. Taking place at Innovative Field (home of the AAA Rochester Red Wings), the event features more than 70 breweries. It’s a great mix of popular local breweries and nationally recognized brands.
Keep NH Brewing Festival
- Where: Concord, New Hampshire
- When: July 8th
New England in general is a beer-lovers paradise. And while Vermont gets much of the attention, there’s a ton of great beer coming out of nearby New Hampshire as well. Extend your Fourth of July vacation to the next week and take in the Keep NH Brewing Festival featuring more than 50 different breweries and more than 140 beers. The best part? While you’re drinking IPAs and stouts, you can be happy that your money is going to benefit the NH Brewers Association.
Vermont Brewers Festival
- Where: Burlington, Vermont
- When: July 21st-22nd
If you already took in the Keep NH Brewing Festival in early July, why not stay in the same region and attend the Vermont Brewers Festival at the end of the month? While they haven’t yet announced which breweries are attending and tickers don’t go on sale until early May, last year more than thirty of the best breweries in the state and beyond were sampling their tasty brews at Waterfront Park in Burlington. You can safely assume 2023 will be just as epic.
Yellowstone Beer Fest
- Where: Cody, Wyoming
- When: July 22nd
If you’re already planning a trip to visit one of the US’ great National Parks, why not stop at the Yellowstone Beer Fest after taking in the natural beauty and peep “Old Faithful”? On July 22nd, Cody, Wyoming is home to this festival featuring more than 50 breweries, 200-plus beers, live music, food, and drink.
Mammoth Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza
- Where: Mammoth Lake, California
- When: August 3rd-6th
Some beer festivals are mostly beer with a little music scattered throughout. Well, Mammoth Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza is an event for both beer and music lovers alike. Featuring more than a dozen bands and musical acts, including Robert Randolph Band as well as 35-plus breweries, it’s the kind of event you’ll want to include in your end-of-summer plans.
Telluride Blues and Brews Fest
- Where: Telluride, Colorado
- When: September 15th-17th
Another music and beer-centered event, the Telluride Blues and Brews Fest is a three-day music and brews festival in the mountain town of Telluride. The Roots, Bonnie Raitt, and a seemingly endless number of musical arts make this the can’t-miss beer festival for music fans. If that’s not enough, 21 breweries will be pouring beer to enjoy while you groove to the music.
Great American Beer Festival
- Where: Denver, Colorado
- When: September 21st-23rd
No beer festival summer is complete without a stop at the most important beer event of the year: the Great American Beer Festival. Also in Colorado (this time in the beer-drenched city of Denver), the event is so massive, it makes every other beer event look like a backyard barbecue. Last year’s Great American Beer Festival featured more than 500 (yes, you read that right) breweries and more than 2,000 beers.
Disclosure: Clicking on these links and making a purchase may earn us a small referral fee, at no extra cost to you. Learn more here.
