Get your tasting glass ready, Denver! The Great American Beer Festival is back this weekend, October 10 and 11, 2026, and it is sporting a brand-new look. The Brewers Association has reimagined the nation’s premier craft beer celebration from the ground up, and for the first time it takes over the Levitt Pavilion in Denver for two sun-soaked days of pure beer joy.
Pouring since 1982, GABF remains the heartbeat of American craft beer culture, and this year’s glow-up puts the brewers themselves front and center. Most pours will come straight from the award-winning breweries, turning the beloved “Meet the Brewer” idea into the entire vibe of the festival. Whether you are a seasoned hophead or just starting your craft beer journey, there are thousands of samples from producers across the country waiting to become your new favorite.
Sessions run Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 4 p.m., with live music, stage entertainment, food trucks, stein hoisting contests, and fresh Colorado air rounding out the weekend. Hungry for more? PAIRED is back for both sessions, pairing nationally celebrated chefs’ small bites with perfect brews. And on Sunday, the GABF Competition awards ceremony happens live on the festival floor, open to the public, as America’s best beers are crowned in real time.
Tickets start at just $60 for a single day or $109 for the full two-day weekend, with designated driver tickets at $29. This is craft beer history in the making, right here in Denver. Cheers to that!
Photo: VISIT DENVER
