What's new at GABF this year
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The Great American Beer Festival is at Levitt Pavilion in 2026. Photo: Courtesy of the Brewers Association
The Great American Beer Festival is back and ditching the convention hall for a lawn party.
Why it matters: One of the nation's most venerable beer festivals is looking to win back fans with a smaller, cheaper and more personal experience — all elements it hopes will revive interest in the languishing event and declining industry.
Here's what you need to know about the 2026 festival.
What's new
If you go: The event's moving outdoors to Levitt Pavilion in Ruby Hill Park and back to just the weekend with noon to 4:30pm sessions Saturday and Sunday and no Thursday or Friday tickets.
The vibe: It's a beer festival again — no elaborate themed zones, silent discos or costumes. Just live music, food trucks and brewers pouring their own beer.
- Caveat: Each brewery can also bring a seltzer or canned cocktail.
- And (finally!) breweries can offer bigger pours (up to 4 ounces) so you don't need to get back in line immediately for an extra sip.
- Bring a blanket — not a lawn chair — and bask in a beautiful fall day.
Must-try breweries
By the numbers: The brewery list is short at just 207 — less than half its peak — but it's also the best roster in years, if not ever.
- Most are medal winners and a handful are returning after a hiatus or pouring at the event for the first time.
What to try: My top three breweries are national brands that are harder to find in Colorado:
- West Coast IPA master Ghost Town from Oakland, California
- Crispy lager purveyor Meanwhile from Austin, Texas
- Belgian beer master The Lost Abbey from Vista, California.
Others not to be missed:
- Colorado's Big Four: WeldWerks, Westbound and Down, Cerebral and Cannonball Creek
- Lager specialists: Cohesion, Austin Beer Garden and pFriem
- Venerable beer makers: Russian River, Fremont, Three Floyds, Firestone Walker and Forbidden Root.
The 5 best events
Yes, but: Beer aficionados know the best pours are found outside the festival, where local bars host takeovers and showcase the nation's best.
- Thursday: My start to GABF is always Finn's Manor in RiNo with the hazy vs. clear IPA kickoff. The brewery list includes Maine's Bissell Brothers, California's Monkish and Boston's Trillium. Opens at 5pm.
- Bonus pick: Go back to Finn's on Friday for fresh-hop beers from the likes of Cellarmaker, Fort George and North Park. Opens at 2pm.
- Friday: Xul Beer Co. from Tennessee is taking over Cerebral Brewing's Denver taproom with its eye-opening pastry stouts, sours and hazy IPAs. Opens at 11am.
- Friday: Hops & Pie on Tennyson Street is tapping unbelievable beers all weekend, but look for Monkish, Other Half, Veil, Foam and Riip. Opens at 11am.
- Saturday: Ratio Beerworks' Overland location is hosting brewers guilds from Texas, New Mexico, Oregon, New York, Montana, Florida and Colorado, with each pouring some of its state's best beers. Event starts at 4pm.
The bottom line: The return-to-its-roots vibe — plus great weather — could make this one of the best GABFs in recent memory.