This is a big week for Denver and a big week for craft beer because the 2016 Great American Beer Festival is returning to the “Mile High City.” If you’ve ever attended a GABF, you understand our excitement. And if you’ve never attended, you’ve been missing one of craft beer’s most spectacular events and need to take a serious look at how you’ve been living your life!

Some History

The Great American Beer Festival is a three-day celebration that’s hosted by the Brewers Association and draws visitors from all over the world. Unlike the CBC, another major gathering thrown annually by the BA that rotates between different cities, Denver is traditionally home to this annual throwdown which usually takes place in late September or early October.

Created back in 1982, by craft beer icon Charlie Papazian, the first GABF had only 22 participating breweries in attendance. Today, the GABF is the largest ticketed beer festival (and competition) in the world and an epic celebration.

This Celebration is “Full-On” ON!

Although the 2016 Great American Beer Festival doesn’t officially begin until this Thursday, the industry is already in town and there are beer events taking place all over the city.

Considered by many to be one of the best exhibit and event centers in the world, the Colorado Convention Center is once again hosting the GABF. It’s an enormous facility, and it needs to be, because this year’s festival will feature more than 3,500 beers from over 700 of the nation’s most exciting brewers.

GABF Fun Facts

This year’s Great American Beer Festival sold out in just over 1 hour during the public ticket sale.

There will be more American craft beers served in the festival hall than ever before – this will be the biggest selection in one place on the face of the planet!

In the heart of Hall B, this year’s festival will feature a special Heavy Metal Booth where you can enjoy a variety of award-winning beers from 2015.

According to Barbara Fusco, Sales & Marketing Director for the Brewers Association, there will be more than 60,000 attendees (including ticketed beer fans, brewers, competition judges, volunteers and journalists) at this year’s event. The American Craft Crew will also be “in da house” and we promise to behave this year.

In 2015 the GABF had a $26 million direct and indirect economic impact on the city of Denver, according to Visit Denver, the city’s convention and visitor’s bureau.

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All GABF photos courtesy of the Brewers Association