2016 Festivals
It’s the Festival Season! Here’s the list for 2016. Email us if you know of or have an event to add: beer@kansascitybeer.com. As some events draw closer, we will update with current information. If you would like KansasCityBeer.com to attend your event to take pictures and write a review, email us.
Upcoming Events:
Friday, September 16 – Sunday, September 18
- Friday 6pm-11pm, Saturday 12pm-11pm, Sunday 12pm-10pm – KC Oktoberfest, Union Station, 30 West Pershing Road, KCMO 64108 – The inaugural KC Oktoberfest will take place at Union Station’s Great Hall, with a focus on replicating the authentic Oktoberfest experience. The event will feature traditional Bavarian fare, German beers, and Oom-Pah bands. All attendees must be 21. $10 Advance, $15 At the Door
Saturday, September 17
- 11am – Festival of the Lost Township, 62nd & Raytown Road, Raytown, MO 64133 – Now that Crane is serving their beers to the Kansas City area, this event may get a little more recognition. Beer, homebrewers, special guests, food, music, and more will take over the day. $35 GA Advance, $40 GA At the Gate, $100 VIP
Saturday, September 24
- 2pm-7pm – High Plains Brewhoff, Brew Lab, 8004 Foster St, Overland Park, KS 66204 – Every brewery has to start somewhere. The likes of Torn Label, Crane, Red Crow, and Double Shift have all served at this event before going pro. Ones to look for this year: Strange Days Brewing, Brewery, Mount Anderson, and Dog Docks Beer.
- Pictures from 2015:
- Pictures from 2014:
- Pictures from 2015:
- 6pm-10pm – Brew at the Zoo Topeka, Topeka Zoo, 635 SW Gage Blvd, Topeka, KS 66606 – A bit more of a drive, but it should be worth it! They’re shutting down the zoo at 2pm to get ready for the festival that includes animals, games, music, and beer sampling from a variety of regional beer vendors. $40
Friday, September 30 – Saturday, October 01
- Friday 4pm-12am, Saturday 1pm-12am – Grünauer Oktoberfest, 101 W 22nd St, Kansas City, MO 64108 – The 7th Annual Oktoberfest hosted at Grünauer will be full of live music, traditional Oktoberfest food, fest bier, and more!
Saturday, October 08
- 3pm-8pm – Botanical Brewfest, Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, 8909 W 179th St, Overland Park, KS 66013 – Craft beers, food, music, and games all in a beautiful setting! $50 GA, $75 VIP
- 4pm-7pm – MO Mug Craft Beer Festival, Downtown New Franklin, 65274 – If you’re up for a trip, check out this festival about 2 hours from KC. It’ll feature craft beer, food trucks, live music, and vendors in the fun filled afternoon in a small town setting. $15
Saturday, October 15
- 6pm-9pm – Brew at the Zoo & Wine Too, Kansas City Zoo, 6800 Zoo Dr, KCMO 64132 – Join the Zoo as they host their 4th annual brewfest. Live music, delicious bites, and a variety of beer and wine. $35 for FOTZ, $45 for non members
Saturday, October 22
- 12pm-4pm – Blue Grass Brew Bash, Grinders Pizza, 417 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108 – 25 different breweries and live music at this new festival. $45 presale, $50 day of the event
Saturday, November 05
- 11am-6pm – The Pitch’s Crafts and Drafts, Uptown Shopping Center, 36th & Broadway, Kansas City, MO – A fun, free event with over 70 local makers as well as over 25 beers. Free
- 12pm-4pm (1st Session), 5pm-9pm (2nd Session) – TAPPED: The Ultimate Craft Beer Festival, Sprint Center, 1407 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64106 – More than 100 beers, wines, and ciders at this nationally-hosted event. A local DJ, games, and Sprint Center concessions will be available. $39 GA, $59 Early Access, $74 VIP
Saturday, November 12
- Westport Strong Ale Fest, McCoy’s, 4057 Pennsylvania Ave, KCMO 64111 – An ode to bold ales, this event features over 35 craft breweries from around the country with beers over 7% ABV.
- Pictures from 2014:
- Pictures from 2014:
Early December
- Screenland’s Arts & Crafts, Screenland, 408 Armour Rd, North Kansas City, MO 64116 – Crafty movies, crafty beers, and crafty people! Enjoy this weekend festival inside Screenland in early December.
Past Events from 2016:
Saturday, February 13
- 1pm-5pm – The Big Chill at 75th Street, 75th Street Brewery, 520 West 75th St, KCMO 64114 – Outdoor event in their Alley (heated beer garden) with unlimited strong beer from 11 local brewers and chili. $35
Saturday, February 27
- 12pm-4pm – KC Brew Fest, Union Station, 30 West Pershing Rd, KCMO 64108 – Dozens of craft and international breweries including KC’s best local breweries. Over 40 breweries, 100 beers, food, and music. $35 GA, $45 VIP, food sold separately.
Saturday, March 05
- 12pm-3pm & 4:30pm-7:30pm – Kansas Craft Brewers Expo, Abe & Jake’s, 8 East 6th St, Lawrence, KS 66044 – Two sessions for this big Kansas Expo. The Kansas Craft Brewers Guild and Downtown Lawrence are collaborating for the fourth time for this event. Regional craft breweries will be serving their beers while you enjoy food, music, and informational displays. $35, Sold Out
Saturday, March 12
- 8am-5pm – Big Rip Snake Saturday Party, Big Rip, 216 East 9th Ave, NKC 64116 – Start the party early with Big Rip’s Snake Saturday Party. Breakfast will be served and food trucks will be available for lunch and dinner. It’s just a short walk to the start of the Snake Saturday Parade, which starts at 11am. Live music. $5
- Pictures from 2015:
- Pictures from 2015:
- 9am-3pm – Grain to Glass Snake Saturday Party, Grain to Glass, 1611 Swift, NKC 64116 – Not officially announced, yet, but with the store being right along the parade route, you can bet they’ll have a fun party going. Last year, homebrewers served their beers, food was served, and you had one of the best views of the parade. We’ll update when details become available.
- Pictures from 2015:
- Pictures from 2015:
- 10am-2pm – Blarney Brew Off, Parking Lot north of Mingle, 209 SE Main St, Lee’s Summit, MO 64063 – Adults aged 21 and over can enjoy over 50 home brewed beers and help select the winner of this year’s competition. A tasting glass, T-shirt, meal, live entertainment, and beer are all included in your ticket. $28
Saturday, March 26
- 11am-6pm – Crafts & Drafts Presented by The Pitch, Uptown Theater, 3700 Broadway, KCMO 64111 – Free event with 70+ craft vendors and over 20 beers. This is actually a really great event. They have both free beer to taste and beers to buy. Free
- Pictures from 2014:
- Pictures from 2014:
Saturday, April 02
- 1pm-5pm – Kegs ‘N’ Eggs at the Renaissance Festival, 628 North 126th St, Bonner Springs, KS 66012 – Out of all of the festivals last year, this one was the one I regret not going. 15,000 plastic eggs are stuffed with prizes and money. Five eggs will have $100 each in them. VIP gets you unlimited craft beer, one domestic beer, a commemorative pint glass, t-shirt, swag bag, and access to the festival. GA gets you access to the festival, t-shirt, and a swag bag. Early Bird (until 02/18): $18 GA, $40 VIP; Regular Price: $20 GA, $50 VIP
- Pictures from 2016:
- Pictures from 2016:
Friday, April 22 – Sunday, April 24
- Friday 6pm-10pm, Saturday 1pm-9pm, Sunday 1pm-6pm – Worlds of Fun All American Barbecue & Brew Festival, Worlds of Fun, 4545 Worlds of Fun Ave, KCMO 64161 – This will be the second year Worlds of Fun will be hosting this festival. Sample real KC BBQ and the best craft beers from KC and around the country. The event runs three weekends. $20 for Gold or Platinum Season Passholders, $25 for everyone else. Admission to the park is not included, but required.
Saturday, April 23
- 1pm-5pm – Missouri Beer Festival, Holiday Inn Expo, 2200 I-70 Dr SW, Columbia, MO 65203 – Sample some of the best beers from the region. They’ll also have their first ever Homebrewers Demonstration Booth. $25 GA, $40 VIP
Friday, April 29 – Sunday, May 01
- Friday 6pm-10pm, Saturday 1pm-9pm, Sunday 1pm-6pm – Worlds of Fun All American Barbecue & Brew Festival, Worlds of Fun, 4545 Worlds of Fun Ave, KCMO 64161 – This will be the second year Worlds of Fun will be hosting this festival. Sample real KC BBQ and the best craft beers from KC and around the country. The event runs three weekends. $20 for Gold or Platinum Season Passholders, $25 for everyone else. Admission to the park is not included, but required.
Saturday, April 30
- 1pm-5pm – Parkville Microbrew Fest, English Landing Park, 8701 Clark Ave, Parkville, MO 64152 – One of, if not the, most popular local festival especially with the nerdiest of beer nerds, the Parkville Microbrew Fest will be holding their 13th Annual festival. Homebrewers will serve their beers alongside commercial and local breweries. $35 Advance, $45 At the Gate
- Pictures from 2015:
- Pictures from 2015:
Saturday, May 07
- 1:30pm-6pm – Kansas City on Tap, Richard L Berkley Riverfront Park, Grand Blvd, KCMO 64120 – Here’s the thing, this is not a local event, but to each their own. Beer will still be served, so if you like beer, it’s okay to get tickets and go. Live music and food will be available to purchase. $45 GA, $60 VIP
Saturday, May 07 – Sunday, May 08
- Friday 6pm-10pm, Saturday 1pm-9pm, Sunday 1pm-6pm – Worlds of Fun All American Barbecue & Brew Festival, Worlds of Fun, 4545 Worlds of Fun Ave, KCMO 64161 – This will be the second year Worlds of Fun will be hosting this festival. Sample real KC BBQ and the best craft beers from KC and around the country. The event runs three weekends. $20 for Gold or Platinum Season Passholders, $25 for everyone else. Admission to the park is not included, but required.
Sunday, May 15
- 7am – Tour de Bier, 2700 Rochester, KCMO 64120 – Explore Kansas City’s history, food, and beer in this bicycle tour. $30 Advance
Saturday, May 21
- 2pm-6pm – Waldo Hopfest, 74th & Wornall, KCMO 64114 – 50+ craft breweries with 250+ craft beers. Early Bird (until 02/22): $25 GA, $45 VIP; After 02/22 $30 GA, $50 VIP, At the Gate $35 GA, $55 VIP
Saturday, June 04
- 1pm-5pm – KC Brews and BBQ – Kansas City Museum, 3218 Gladstone Blvd, KCMO 64123 – What’s better in the summertime than BBQ and Beer? Several local breweries and BBQ places will be serving their specialties. Cost TBD
- 2pm-6pm – Get Ripped Brewfest Year 3, Big Rip Brewing, 216 East 9th Ave, NKC 64116 – Help Big Rip celebrate their 3rd birthday with a party! Several breweries, distilleries, and wineries will be at the event serving their libations.
Saturday, June 11
- 5pm-9pm – Westport Summer Beer Fest, McCoy’s, 4057 Pennsylvania Ave, KCMO 64111 – Another popular local event, this year will be their 6th annual festival. more than 80 beers from nearly 35 breweries around the world will be serving. $30 Advance, $35 At the Gate
Friday, June 17 – Sunday, June 19
- Various times – Boulevardia, West Bottoms, KCMO 64102 – Boulevardia is back for their third year. Taps & Tastes promises to be even better than last year, with the time moved back to accommodate for the heat. Tickets go on sale February 24 at 10am and sell out fast. $15 GA, $75 Taps & Tastes GA, $100 Taps & Tastes VIP
- Pictures from 2014:
- Pictures from 2014:
Saturday, July 23
- 11am-7pm – Cultivate Festival, Penn Valley Park, 2698 Main St, KCMO 64108 – Music, cooking demos, and beer! Free admission
Saturday, July 30
- 2pm-6pm – KC Nanobrew Festival, Berkley Riverfront Park, Grand Boulevard, KCMO 64120 – A crazy amount of homebrewers and a few professional breweries will be at the event serving their beers. Last year, you got a free food voucher, there was live music (not too loud), and several outdoor games. This event is always a good one! $35
Saturday, August 06
- 12:30pm-4:30pm – The Pitch Steer & Beer Festival, The Waldo Outdoor Pavilion, 210 W 74th Terrace, KCMO 64114 – In its first year, this fest promises over 100 beer samplings, freshly made burgers, and your chance to vote for the best. $35 GA, $50 VIP
Saturday, August 13
- 4pm-9pm – Zona Rosa Microbrew Fest, Zona Rosa, 8460 N Dixson Ave, KCMO 64153 – From homebrew competitions to the big guys, this northland event has been around for several years. This festival usually sells out, so get your tickets fast.
Saturday, August 27
- 12pm-4:30pm – Midwest Microfest, Bicentennial Center, 800 The Midway, Salina KS 67401 – Perfect festival if you live a little closer to the middle of the state, about 30 breweries will be pouring. $35 GA, $60 VIP
Saturday, September 10
- 10am-5pm – Swift Mile Street Festival, Swift Avenue, NKC 64116 – Street Festival featuring local makers/artists, performance artists, food and drink sampling, and more. Free admission
- 1:30pm – KC Beer Fest, Power & Light District, KCMO 64106 – One of the original Beer Fests in KC, this festival has been going on for over 8 years! More than 200 hand-picked craft beers from around the world, rare keg tappings, live music, food trucks, and more will be featured in two blocks that make up Kansas City’s Power & Light District.