DENVER — Beer lovers have an excuse to cry in their beer today as the country’s largest ticketed beer festival will not happen in 2021, event officials announced Monday.
The Great American Beer Festival (GABF), typically held at the Colorado Convention Center in the fall, was canceled this year due to health and safety concerns surrounding the COVID-19 crisis, according to a news release.
This is the second year that in-person festivities have been canceled. However, the Brewers Association will host the 2021 GABF competition and awards ceremony that typically coincides with the festival. The awards ceremony will be livestreamed from the Bellco Theatre on The Brewing Network.
GABF will return in 2022. Event organizers plan to celebrate its 40th anniversary October 6-8, 2022 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.
“We are disappointed to cancel the festival portion of GABF for the second year in a row,” Bob Pease, president and CEO of the Brewers Association, said in a news release. “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. We look forward to convening in person for the festival’s 40th anniversary in 2022.”
Despite the festival cancellation, beer lovers across the country will have the opportunity to participate in a national passport program September 17 through October 17, 2021. Passport holders will have exclusive access to deals at participating breweries nationwide. Passports are priced at $20 and will be available for purchase in July.
