If you like Vegas there’s a good chance you like beer too. The Great Vegas Festival of Beer celebrates this wonderful beverage and is the largest craft beer festival in Nevada. Held in downtown Las Vegas, the event features over a hundred of the world’s best craft beer breweries, some of Vegas’ best food truck eateries, as well as celebrity chefs and brewers. For its 10th anniversary in 2021 the festival will be held at The Downtown Las Vegas Events Center and will expand to nearby lots and streets to give it a truly authentic Vegas street festival feel. As well as showcasing the produce of over a hundred breweries and five hundred beers, the festival supports local Vegas charities as a community event.
History
The growth of the festival over the last 10 years has been extraordinary. It has gone for a relatively small event to one of the most anticipated events of the year with craft beer lovers traveling many miles to be in attendance. The Great Vegas Festival of Beer began in Tivoli Village in Sumerlin and has since moved to Downtown’s Fremont East Entertainment District in 2014 before expanding to its current home at The Downtown Las Vegas Events Center.
Reasons To Go
Beer
The first and most obvious reason to go is for the beer! The festival is a beer lovers paradise and features more than ten local breweries as well as countless more guest breweries, all delivering their finest beverages to ticket holders. A ticket includes unlimited craft beer from over 30 different vendors.
Food
The festival has expanded to include a culinary experience from the best street food vendors in Vegas. Make sure you arrive with a big appetite to take advantage of the variety of cuisines on offer. You can get Tex Mex from BBQ Mexicana, Fusion from Served or New York Style Pizza from Pop Up Pizza. There are a number of talented chefs providing food for the event including Mike Minor, Phillip Dell and Roy Ellamar, each with their own unique style.
Silent Disco
Back for another year is the Brooklyn Bowl Silent Disco to cater for your dancing needs after you’ve had a few beers. With multiple channels you’ll always be able to find the music you are looking for and you can party on into the evening.
Karaoke
The Ellis Island Karaoke Yard allows guests to take center stage and sing their heart out along to their favorite tunes. With a few beers in your stomach and some extra confidence coursing through your veins you won’t be able to keep yourself from taking the platform to perform an old classic.
Arcade Games
Beer and arcade games go hand in hand, so to make sure you get your fix of classic neon arcade fun. The Great Vegas Festival of Beer has enlisted the help of Hi-Scores to provide some of the best arcade games around. If you’ve got a competitive side then get your friends down to set some new records.
Bars
For those who need a place to relax and enjoy the crisp taste of the festivals craft beer, the Center Bar is the perfect place to hang out. This main bar area has a bit of everything, from oversized tavern games for those with unlimited energy to lounge areas for those who want to relax and savour the variety of beverages on offer.
Tavern Glamping
For a change of scenery, guests can experience a tented glamping spot which hosts outdoor games as well as offering unique craft beer selections.
Meet New People
Whats great about the Great Vegas Festival of Beer is that it is an opportunity to meet new people who share a love for beer. There are plenty of opportunities to socialise throughout the event whether it be dancing, glamping or hanging out at the bar. The event also attracts people from abroad with plenty of stories to tell so you can meet individuals from all walks of life brought together by a love for craft beer.
FAQ
Is the event 21+?
Yes, the event will not admit anyone under the age of 21 so make sure you remember to bring your photo identification.
Are tickets available on arrival?
Yes, tickets are available at the event from the main entrance.
What are the different ticket options?
General admission tickets include samples of over 500 brews as well as access to a host of different activities and drinking water. MadCraft and VIP ticket holders have access to the above as well as food included in their ticket price. Early entry ticket holders are able to enter the event one hour before regular ticket holders to get the first taste of the beer and beat the queues for a range of activities.
Although it’s a festival built around the celebration of craft beer, there truly is something for everyone at the Great Vegas Festival of Beer. Whether you are looking for drink, food, or games, the festival has so much to offer. Having expanded over the last 10 years, the event only looks to be getting bigger and better with more brewers, food trucks and people in attendance.
If you are planning a trip to Vegas and want to join the party then keep an eye out for the dates of next years events. Visitors keep coming back to the festival year on year and for good reason as it grows in variety, quality and size each time.