Don’t miss out on the 2023 Great Pumpkin Beer Festival in Seattle!
This annual event is a beloved fall tradition for Seattleites, and many others travel from afar to attend. The 2023 Great Pumpkin Beer Festival takes place September 29-30 at Seattle Center, and tickets are on sale now. Whether you love beer or you just want to get in the fall frame of mind with some festive fun, you’ll want to read all about what this year’s festival has on tap!
Read on for all the details!
Since this is a beer festival, you can expect to find over 80 different kinds of seasonal beers and ciders from Elysian Brewing as well as national and local breweries. And yes: there will be lots of pumpkin beer. The most iconic part of the event is the giant pumpkin that weighs several hundred pounds and is filled with pumpkin beer and tapped for the festival.
In addition to beer, there will be DJs providing music all weekend plus delicious food trucks so you’re not partying on an empty stomach. Not into beer? There will be non-alcoholic beverages at the festival as well as $5 designated driver tickets available to purchase for non-drinkers.
There will also be a costume contest! Come dressed in your best interpretation of the “orange” theme and you may win a prize. Know that people tend to go all out with their costumes at this festival so if you want to win, be sure to go all out.
The Great Pumpkin Beer Festival is for humans age 21 and up only, so leave the kids and pets at home. In true Seattle tradition, it will take place rain or shine.
Looking for a family-friendly event? You can take the kiddos to the Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off on Saturday, September 23 at the Elysian Airport Way Brewery in Georgetown. This event is free and for all ages. It runs from noon to 4:00 p.m. and involves a competition to see which regional growers have the biggest pumpkins. This is where the Great Pumpkin for the beer festival is found!
Back to the beer fest: If you’re interested in going to the festival, get your tickets now! This event sells out quickly and single-day tickets for Saturday are already sold out. You must purchase your ticket online ahead of time; tickets will not be sold at the door.
Your entry ticket gets you a goblet and six beer tickets. You can purchase additional drink tickets for $2 at the festival (no cash, so bring your cards).
What’s really cool about this festival is that 100% of the proceeds go to The Vera Project. The Vera Project is “an all-ages nonprofit space dedicated to fostering personal and community transformation through collaborative, youth-driven engagement in music and art.” Cheers to a good cause!
Great Pumpkin Beer Festival 2023
When: Friday, September 29 and Saturday, September 30 from 4:00 to 10:00 p.m.
Where: Seattle Center
Cost: $30 for one day, $50 for two days, $5 for designated drivers
You can check out the festival website for tickets and more info.