The 5 Best Minnesota Beer Festivals To Put On Your Calendar Now

Minnesota takes its craft beer seriously. With more than 200 craft breweries operating across the state — from Duluth's Canal Park waterfront to the taprooms of Northeast Minneapolis — the Land of 10,000 Lakes has built one of the most vibrant craft brewing cultures in the Midwest.

Names like Surly, Summit, Bent Paddle, Castle Danger, and August Schell have become household names well beyond Minnesota's borders, with three Minnesota breweries ranking among the top 50 largest craft breweries in the entire country.

While the national craft beer industry has seen some headwinds recently, Minnesota breweries have been bucking that trend, posting a 10.8 percent production increase in 2024 while national consumption fell.

In other words, Minnesota loves its craft beer — and summer is when that love goes public. Here are five Minnesota beer festivals worth putting on your calendar this summer.

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Pride Beer Dabbler — Minneapolis, June 26 | 6 - 9:30 p.m.

The summer beer festival season in Minnesota kicks off in style on June 26 with the 14th Annual Pride Beer Dabbler at Parade Park Soccer Stadium at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.

Now in its 14th year, the event brings together more than 70 Minnesota breweries and cideries for an evening of unlimited tastings, live music, and food trucks — all while celebrating the Twin Cities LGBTQ+ community as Pride weekend gets underway. Early Access begins at 5 p.m.

Highlights include:

• 70-plus local and regional breweries and cideries
• 12 food trucks on site
• Live music throughout the evening
• On-site LGBTQ+ vow exchanges
• Early Admission $70 — entry at 5 p.m.
• General Admission $55 — entry at 6 p.m.
• Must be 21 or older — tickets at beerdabbler.com

Alexandria Craft Beer Tour — Alexandria, July 17 | 5 - 9 p.m.

Head to the heart of Minnesota lake country for the Alexandria Craft Beer Tour at Knute Nelson Memorial Field on July 17.

Produced by Leighton Events, this four-hour outdoor tasting event goes beyond beer, featuring craft beer, hard cider, wine, and malt beverages all in one place.

VIP entry begins at 5 p.m. with an extra hour of specialty sampling and exclusive swag, while General Admission runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Highlights include:

• Craft beer, hard cider, wine, and malt beverages are all available for sampling
• VIP 5 - 6 p.m. — includes specialty beers, sampling mug, T-shirt, hat, and swag bag
• General Admission 6 - 9 p.m.
• Must be 21 or older — no children or pets
• Tickets at craftbeertours.com

All Pints North — Duluth, August 1 | 3:30 - 7 p.m.

All Pints North is the crown jewel of Minnesota's summer beer festival calendar, and it happens on the beautiful shore of Lake Superior at Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth.

Now in its 11th year, All Pints North has been voted Best Beer Festival by Star Tribune readers.

This year brings more than 45 breweries to the lakefront, including Duluth favorites Bent Paddle, Blacklist, Fitger's, Ursa Minor, and Canal Park, alongside Twin Cities staples like Surly, Fulton, Indeed, and Dangerous Man — plus North Country breweries like Castle Danger, Voyageur, Klockow, Jack Pine, and Bemidji Brewing.

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New this year: THC and non-alcoholic beverages are also on tap. Tickets typically sell out well in advance, so do not wait on this one. Highlights include:

• 45-plus Minnesota breweries and brewpubs pouring unlimited samples
• Beer, cider, seltzer, hemp-derived THC seltzers, and non-alcoholic options available
• Commemorative tasting glass included with admission
• Live music, food trucks, local vendors, and games on site
• VIP Early Entry $77 — gates open at 3 p.m.
• General Admission $57 — gates open 3:30 p.m.
• Non-alcoholic tickets $22
• 6-pack discount: 10% off when buying 6 or more tickets
• Must be 21 or older — no children or pets
• Tickets at mncraftbrew.org sell out every year, so buy early.

Nershfest — Minneapolis, August 1 | Noon - 9 p.m.

For those who want craft beer with a heavy dose of live music and community energy, Nershfest at 56 Brewing in Northeast Minneapolis is the move.

Now in its 14th year, this grassroots festival started as a backyard party among three friends and has grown into one of the Twin Cities' most beloved summer traditions.

Gates open at noon with music running from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., featuring a stacked lineup of local acts. Highlights include:

• Local craft beer from 56 Brewing plus food trucks on site
• Live music lineup: China Ride, The People Brothers Band, General B & The Wiz, Mae Simpson, and Reptar — hosted by Nur-D
• Presale tickets $15 — includes a souvenir cup with 4 free ounces of beer per purchase
• Door tickets $20
• Kids 10 and under are free with a supervising adult
• Limited-run Nershfest gear available on site
• Tickets at nershfest.com

Autumn Brew Review — Minneapolis, October 10 | 1:30 - 5 p.m.

Autumn Brew Review returns to Boom Island Park in Minneapolis on October 10, bringing together more than 80 craft breweries and brewpubs for an afternoon of unlimited sampling alongside live music, food trucks, local artists, shops, and yes, llamas and iceless curling.

Special collaboration brews available only at the festival are always a highlight. VIP Early Entry begins at 1 p.m., with General Admission following at 1:30 p.m.

Highlights include:

• 80-plus Minnesota craft breweries and brewpubs
• Beer, cider, seltzer, Delta-9 THC beverages, and non-alcoholic options are included
• Exclusive collaboration brews are available only at the festival
• Commemorative tasting glass included with admission
• Live music, food trucks, local artists, shops, and community groups on site
• Llamas and iceless curling — yes, really
• VIP Early Entry — gates open at 1 p.m.
• General Admission — gates open at 1:30 p.m.
• Non-alcoholic ticket option available
• Must be 21 or older — no children or pets
• Tickets at mncraftbrew.org

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From lakeside sipping in Duluth to backyard-style music fests in Northeast Minneapolis, Minnesota's summer beer festival lineup has something for every kind of craft beer fan.