10 OCTOBER 1-7, 2026 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | Everything you need to know about this year’s GABF THE BIGGEST CHANGES, HOW TO NAVIGATE THE FESTIVAL, AND THE CAN’T-MISS EVENTS. BY RYAN PAC HMAYER This year’s Great American Beer Festival is taking a new approach, with a smaller, tighter outdoor event and a return to its roots: cen- tered on beer and the people who make it. The initial announcement of a new loca- tion at the Levitt Pavilion drew signifi cant social media backlash. Most concerns fo- cused on transportation challenges, the event being outdoors in October, the venue’s uneven grassy surface, and moving away from downtown Denver. When an administrator of the popular “Colorado Let’s Talk Craft Beer” Facebook group asked how people felt about the new festival location, over half of the 160 votes checked the box for “Concerned, is this the end?” Those weren’t just random group members either; they included people who own breweries, host major beer events, and brew beer professionally. Once details began to emerge in late summer, the vibes started to shift and people could begin to see what the BA was thinking with this move. Focus on the beer The festival will see several changes that are meant to bring attendees closer to the beers and the breweries making them. First, breweries are pouring their own beers this year. In the past, an army of volunteers would handle that. With a smaller festival outside of the convention center and less room for extra bodies, the BA felt that it was a good time to make this switch, something that is typical at most small to medium format festivals. Another big change is the pour size, previ- ously limited to a strict one ounce. This year, brewers will have the option to pour up to four ounces per pour. The GABF competition awards ceremony is also being integrated into the festival itself. It will take place at the start of Sunday’s session, at 12:15 p.m. Previously, the awards would be announced in a private auditorium adjacent to the festival, before the Saturday afternoon session–something that breweries and media only had access to. The number of beers entered into the competition has declined since its peak in 2022, but the decline has been much slower than the drop in festival attendance. GABF and World Beer Cup, the other major com- petition the BA puts on, are the two largest beer competitions in the world. The goal of competitions is often to solicit as many entries as possible, increasing the prestige and perceived value of the winners. Going outside One of the larger concerns has been about the weather with the move to an outdoor venue. But most of the days during the time- frame the event takes place (Oct. 10-11) over the last 15 years have seen highs in the upper 50s to mid-80s, with zero precipitation. None of these concerns seems to be enough to deter demand for the festival. Saturday’s session is already sold out. Transportation Perhaps the biggest challenge for folks will be getting to the festival. Unlike many venues, there are no major parking lots in or around Levitt. Public transportation isn’t nearby either. And while the festival is pared down (7,500 total people will be at each session), it’s still a large enough crowd to overwhelm rideshares. If you forked over the $22 for the GABF roundtrip shuttle from the Downtown Sher- aton (signups closed Oct. 1), you’re all set already. If not, Cerebral has a $15 roundtrip shuttle from its West Highland taproom and Bierstadt Lagerhaus has a $10 shuttle option that comes with a free beer. Rideshares will be popular, which means you might see a longer wait. This is especially important when getting to the festival. Taking an early Uber or Lyft to a nearby restaurant could work. There isn’t anything directly adjacent to the venue, but Tacos Flamingos food truck is about two-thirds of a mile south, as is the Mexican restaurant Colima. For those that don’t mind a 15-25 minute walk, South Broadway and Federal Boulevard are east and west of the event site, and feature an array of excellent food options. Scheduling a rideshare in advance might be a good idea as well, and Colorado Coop- erative, a local co-op rideshare owned by its drivers, specifi cally says it works best when you schedule in advance (most of the drivers also drive for Uber and/or Lyft). The two closest light rail stops are the I-25 & Broadway Station, and the Evans Station. They are a 30-40 minute walk from the venue. The bus might be a little better: You can fi nd stops as close as a half mile away (use the RTD NextRide trip planner to look at the options available to you). The South Platte trail passes by just a cou- ple hundred feet from Levitt, so bikers coming from virtually any direction (the path connects to dozens of trails throughout metro Denver) will be able to conveniently get to the fest. For those driving to the festival, expect the free street parking in the Ruby Hill neighborhood to be busy along the eastern edges, and avoid blocking driveways. There is a parking lot at the south part of Ruby Hill Park and it will likely fi ll up extremely fast. GABF week events Krispy King Lager Competition Thursday, Oct. 8, 2 to 9 p.m. Barrels & Bottles Brewery 1055 Orchard St., Golden There are 47 lagers, but only one crown. The 5th annual Krispy King Lager Competition is open to the public. Come purchase any one of these entries, then stay for the awards at 7 p.m. Bierstadt Lagerhaus’s Ashleigh Carter and Bill Eye have judged the fi rst four com- petitions, with a third guest judge. See who they choose this year as the crispiest lager. Lager Land Friday, Oct. 9, noon to 10 p.m. Cohesion Brewing Company 3851 Steele St. Cohesion always throws down for GABF, and this year is no different. Featuring beers from Bow and Arrow, Breakside, Chuckanut, Enegren, Fonts Flora, Gold Dot, pFriem, Wayfi nder and Grand Fir. East vs West: A Scientifi c Standoff of IPAs Friday, Oct. 9, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Cerebral Brewing 3257 Lowell Blvd. and 1477 Monroe St. Cerebral is bringing back its East Coast vs West Coast IPA standoff, featuring some of the best hoppy producers in the country. You don’t want to miss this one. Hops & Pie Tap Takeovers Friday, Oct. 9, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Satur- day, Oct. 10, Noon to 10 p.m. Hops & Pie 3920 Tennyson St. Hops & Pie will be hosting some fantastic, hard-to-fi nd beers during the weekend. First up, is Friday’s Elite Brands feature, with breweries like 3 Floyd’s, Allagash, Pizza Port and Russian River joining Colorado brewer- ies like 4 Noses, Outer Range, Ska, Telluride and Westbound & Down. Saturday is CSA’s turn to showcase its customers, with 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Bale Breaker, Bissell Brothers, Breakside, Ghost Town, Gold Dot, Grains of Wrath, Green Cheek, ISM, La Cumbre, Monkish, North Park, Other Half, pFriem, Pinthouse, Riip and more. PAIRED Saturday, Oct. 10 and Sunday, Oct. 11, noon to 4 p.m. Levitt Pavilion Denver 1380 W. Florida Ave. Many were relieved to see PAIRED survive the move and reimagining of GABF to the Levitt Pavilion this year. PAIRED is a unique event that features over two dozen fantas- tic chefs, pairing small bites with beers. This year will feature 40 bites, specifi cally paired with 40 different beers. Attendees have unlimited bites and pours, as well as access to GABF, which takes place in an adjacent area. Email the author at [email protected]. CAFE FIND MORE FOOD & DRINK COVERAGE AT WESTWORD.COM/RESTAURANTS The Great American Beer Festival moves to Levitt Pavilion this year, a controversial move. PROVIDED BY THE GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL