Beer lovers, we have some sad news. The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) will not return for an in-person event for 2021. According to the organizers at The Brewers Association, concerns remain about the safety of large indoor gatherings like GABF. The multi-day event sees upwards of 60,000 attendees inside the Colorado Convention Center. Instead, GABF will mirror its 2020 setup with a live broadcast of its award ceremony, but on a new date. Now the prestigious awards will take place on September 10 to coincide with the industry-focused Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) also happening in Denver. CBC, September 10 – 18, will still bring plenty of beer festivities to the city with over 200 events including tap takeovers, rare beer tastings, meet the brewer events and more. GABF will also continue its “passport” program that helps people experience exclusive deals at over 1,000 breweries nationwide.
“We are disappointed to cancel the festival portion of GABF for the second year in a row,” said Bob Pease, president and CEO for the Brewers Association. “While we will miss celebrating with beer lovers and our craft brewing community, we are excited to continue with the GABF competition and national passport program this year.”
Despite the cancellation, there’s still reason to be excited for 2022, as it marks the festival’s 40th anniversary. With the extra planning time and extended wait, we’re sure GABF 2022 will be one to remember.
Passports go on sale for $20 in July and will be available to use from September 17 through October 17, 2021. Brewery registration for the 2021 passport program opens June 29 at GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com.