Great American Beer Fest 2026 kicks off at Levitt Pavilion

The Great American Beer Festival kicked off with a bang Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026 for the first time outdoors at Levitt Pavilion Denver.

By Elizabeth Pond October 10, 2026

Thousands of beer-loving attendees, 200 breweries and around 1,500 types of beer filled Levitt Pavilion Saturday for the first outdoor Great American Beer Festival.

The Great American Beer Festival has been held in Denver for over 40 years, with the Colorado Convention Center as its most recent longtime venue — but the event had never taken place beneath blue skies before this weekend.

This year, organizers wanted to try something new by bringing the fest into the sunshine at the Ruby Hill Park neighborhood, said GABF organizer and President and CEO of the Brewers Association Bart Watson.

“I hope people enjoy that — being outside after two decades at the Colorado Convention Center,” he told The Denver Gazette.

Read the full Denver Gazette article below!