The 2026 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) changed locations this year to Levitt Pavilion, an outdoor venue, and I enjoyed the change. It felt like it breathed new life into a festival that has shrunk since the pandemic and was feeling a bit cavernous at the Colorado Convention Center. The beers were still great, the energy was up and the sun was shining! Here’s what I noticed:
#1: Still Some Kinks to Iron Out
As expected, there were some hiccups at the new venue. Being outside felt great, and we lucked out with beautiful weather. No complaints there! However, there were some areas that got a little crowded, especially considering how wide open much of the space was. For example, there was a section where beer nerd juggernauts Russian River, Pizza Port and pFriem were all next to each other, creating a grouping of long lines that were tough to navigate. They just happened to fall next to each other alphabetically, but maybe some exceptions could be considered for better flow.
It was also a bit of a challenge to get in and out of Levitt Pavilion before and after the festival. It’s a little isolated, so taking an Uber or Lyft there was tough. On day two, my Lyft driver ended up dropping me off a little further away and I walked to make it easier. I also ended up walking to nearby Ratio Beerworks afterward to more easily be picked up.
Overall, though, the new venue was awesome!
#2: More Music
Having GABF at a venue that typically hosts concerts created the opportunity for more consistent live music. It was great to have a soundtrack in the background during the day. I didn’t take many breaks to actively watch the musicians, but I enjoyed the continuous tunes.
#3: Mostly Local
As GABF has shrunk, many breweries from other states have stopped coming. It’s understandable from a cost standpoint. It’s not cheap to send team members to another state and pay for them to be there for the weekend. Still, it’s a bummer that many of my favorite out-of-state breweries no longer make the trip.
#4: PAIRED is the Best Way to Experience GABF
Somehow, this was the first year I’ve gotten a ticket to PAIRED. Man, was I missing out! I had an incredible time tasting food from some of the best restaurants in the region paired with fantastic beers and ciders. Yes, it’s more expensive, but I thought it was well worth it. I had an incredible lunch of different dishes and was stuffed after about 90 minutes, which left me two and a half hours to hit up some of the breweries I’d missed on day one. Also, some breweries were only in PAIRED, like Toppling Goliath. I highly recommend it.
#5: Awards Out in the Open
On day two, the awards were announced on the main stage, which meant that everyone was able to watch breweries celebrate their awards in real-time. Overall, it just felt like a more celebratory vibe. The best was when you’d happen to be at the booth of a brewery right as their name was announced as a winner and you could immediately enjoy their medal-winning beer.
Cheers, and remember to try new beers, ask lots of questions and support your local breweries!
