Mark Your Calendars: GABF 2019 Tickets Are on Sale 7/31! (With 7/30 Member Presale)

Photo courtesy of the Great American Beer Festival

Are you excited for the 38th Annual Great American Beer Festival?! Tickets go on sale in one week! Here’s what you need to know:

Member Presale: Tuesday, July 30, 10:00 AM (MT)

• As a member, you will receive one unique presale access code via email. Code will grant access to the presale on July 30. Code will allow the option to purchase tickets to the Members Only Session on Saturday, October 5. Code will not be your member number.

Public Sale: Wednesday, July 31, 10:00 AM (MT)

• Members may also purchase tickets during the public ticket sale.

The sessions:

• Members Only Session (Saturday, Oct., 5, 12:00-4:00 p.m.) tickets are $70 each, limit four tickets per member.
• General Session tickets are $85 public/$80 members (when purchased during the member presale on Tuesday, July 30)
• PAIRED + GABF tickets (Thursday, Oct. 3 & Friday., Oct. 4) tickets are $160 each
• Designated Driver tickets are $30 each

Tickets include:

• Commemorative tasting glass
• Unlimited one-ounce samples
• Festival guide and free app to help attendees navigate the festival hall
• Access to educational and interactive seminars focused on beer appreciation
• Opportunity to speak with the personalities behind the beers in the Meet the Brewer section
• Entertainment including games, karaoke, silent disco with a live DJ and more

***Tickets are sold through AXS Ticketing. Create your AXS account in advance to prepare for the ticket sale.***

Collaboration Booth

Now that you know when and how to get tickets, here is some information on what to expect at GABF this year:

• IKON Pass Stage presented by Winter Wondergrass: Located in the Backyard, Winter Wondergrass will be presenting three sets of incredible live music per session (line up TBA). IKON passes and Winter Wondergrass tickets will also be available for sale onsite. The 2020 Winter Wondergrass lineup will be announced at GABF!
• Jameson Caskmates Barrel-Aged Beer Garden: Returning for a second year in a slightly larger foot print, the ~14,000-square-foot Jameson Caskmates Barrel-Aged Beer Garden will feature 22 small and independent Jameson craft brewery partners and their limited-edition Jameson barrel-aged beer. In addition, the garden will host experiential areas including master cooper Ger Buckley’s stage, a Bow Street education experience, and interactive activities.
• Fresh Hops: Washington Beer Commission is back with the freshest beers of the 2019 hop harvest. Each session will feature five fresh hop beers from ten breweries not found anywhere else in the festival. Due to the timing of the 2018 festival, fresh hops were not on exhibit, so this will return for 2019.
• Silly Fun: Daily fun to be had with attendee favorites, including the Silent Disco, karaoke, backyard games, Friday Festival Flair costume contest, and some new additions such as brat, hotdog and bun races, a funhouse, and more!
• Festival Format Return to Regions: Back by popular demand! Breweries in the festival hall will be arranged in alphabetical order by state within nine (9) regions (Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Mountain West, New England, Pacific, Pacific Northwest, Southeast, Southwest.) Pro Tip: Breweries with “the” in the title will be listed under the first name following “the.”

And don’t forget about PAIRED. It is available as an addition to your ticket for Thursday and Friday night sessions. Not familiar with PAIRED Beer & Food Tasting at GABF? See my post on PAIRED 2016 for photos and info; it’s a truly incredible experience.

PAIRED + GABF tickets include a commemorative tasting glass and unlimited two-ounce samples of 50 unique beers (only poured at PAIRED) from more than 25 small and independent breweries matched with small plates prepared by award-winning chefs.

In addition, this ticket also includes admission to the General Session with unlimited one-ounce samples of more than 4,000 beers.

Thursday, October 3 and Friday, October 4
5:30 pm – 10:00 pm $160
PAIRED Beer & Food Tasting Closes at 9:00 pm
GABF General Session Ends at 10:00 pm
Eight (8) ticket limit for PAIRED+GABF

Ticket Holders Entrance: PAIRED + GABF ticket holders may enter at 14th Street by the Blue Bear and proceed down the ramp towards the Bellco Theatre. After having your ticket scanned, proceed up the escalators to the PAIRED pavilion.

Mark your calendars, set your reminders, and be ready to GO at 10 a.m. on July 30th and/or 31st!