Biggest Homebrew Events in the USA

General Homebrew Discussion
1

Besides Homebrew Con, What are some of the big homebrew focused events in the country?

I’ve been a part of the KC Nanobrew Festival for sometime and we have been looking at our numbers over the years and were wondering if we were one of the biggest homebrew beer festivals in the country?

Here are the numbers over the years

2010: 100 attendees, 13 homebrews
2011: 200 attendees, 30 homebrews
2012: 360 attendees, 60 homebrews @ Original Juan
2013: 375 attendees, 80 homebrews @ Big Rip
2014: 560 attendees, 100 homebrews @ Rock & Run
2015: 1000 attendees, 160 homebrews @ Stockyards
2016: 1560 attendees, 215 homebrews @ Berkley
2017: 2080 attendees, 275+ homebrews @ Berkley
2018: 2000+ attendees, 290+ homebrews @ Berkley

Love to here about other events across the country

http://www.kcnanobrews.com/2017-kc-nanobrew-festival/

2

Every year, the weekend after labor day is the New England Homebrewer’s Jamboree in Tamworth, NH (in the White Mountains).  Last year we had over 20 clubs from all NE states (except VT…come on Green Mountain Mashers, we’d love to have you this year).  Festivities start on Friday and go through Sunday, with bands, food trucks, homebrew competition and of course all the homebrew you can drink.

Proceeds from the event go to Make A Wish and nearly $11,000 was donated last year.  Each year the number goes up.

I have no idea how many people attend, but it does get really busy on Saturday when everyone shows up.  Most of us camp out all weekend but there are some that just come for the day and pay a donation to enjoy the festival!

If you are in the New England area this September 7th and 8th, definitely drop by!

http://homebrewersjamboree.com/

3

I remember seeing some promo material about this at Homebrew Con 2016 - looks awesome!!!

4

I’ve never been, but a group up in Washington holds an event called Beerstock.  It’s a 3 day weekend camp-in festival.  The website doesn’t list attendee numbers, but 17+ different clubs and 200+ brews.

I’ve been invited several times and just haven’t been able to make it.

Beerstock 5060-8 (info from last years event).

5

There is a fantastic homebrew-centric event in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin every February, where I have had the fortune of serving my own the past couple of years.  With nearly 20 Wisconsin homebrew clubs and nearly 200 homebrews, plus a smattering of commercial breweries as well (but the main focus is homebrew) plus cider! plus wine!, it’s a really great event that I hope never to miss.  Check it out next year, I’m sure I’ll be there.

http://www.fdlbrewfest.org/about.html

There are other events with a significant homebrew presence as well in the Milwaukee and Racine areas, but as far as I know they do focus more on the commercial side.  World of Beer in Menomonee Falls rings a bell but it’s still mostly commercial – that one is first Saturday in June every year and I love that one too though I cannot make it every year.