The organizers of the Great American Beer Festival announced Tuesday that they will move the festival from the Colorado Convention Center to Denver’s Levitt Pavilion in 2026, meaning the two-day October event will take place outdoors. It’s the first time that the event, in its modern form, will be under the open skies — something that is always risky in the fall in Denver. The goal is to blend GABF’s “legendary beer lineup with live music .. and a more immersive festival experience,” the organization said in a statement. “Taking the festival outdoors lets us reimagine what’s possible, and we’re excited to bring fresh energy to the festival and provide an experience that feels uniquely Colorado,” said Ann Obenchain, vice president of marketing and communications of the Brewers Association, in the same statement. “This isn’t just a venue change for us, it’s an evolution,” she continued. “We’ve listened to our attendees and we’re creating an outdoor festival that invites people to explore, discover, and celebrate craft beer in a completely new way — one that’s all about gathering your friends, finding your spot on the lawn, and enjoying great beer and good times together.” Related Articles New Italian restaurant showcases iconic specialties of Emilia-Romagna The secret to perfect tortiglioni with peppers and eggplant from a 1929 Italian cookbook Credit ‘Mormon Wives’ for Denver’s dirty soda trend Gretchen’s table: Warm winter’s chill with a hot bowl of this tangy and traditional Mexican stew Bison: It’s what’s for dinner. Here are tips and recipes. The Brewers Association also said the festival will be reduced to two sessions over two days, down from four sessions over three days a few years ago. This year’s event will be Oct. 10-11 from noon to 4 p.m. (rather than Oct. 8-10, as had been previously announced). Tickets go on sale in June. Attending the festival will cost $60 this year, down from $85-$95 in 2025. The festival, often described as the largest or among the largest commercial beer fests in the world, began in Boulder in 1982 before moving to Denver two years later, first to the now-demolished Currigan Hall and later to the Colorado Convention Center. It reached its peak in the early 2010s when tickets sold out within seconds. Attendance began to slip before the COVID-19 pandemic, however, as interest in craft beer leveled out. GABF was canceled in 2000 and 2001 before returning as a smaller event. The Brewers Association has repeatedly changed formats over the years and added other alcoholic beverages, like cider, seltzer and spirits, in an effort to stay relevant. Levitt, at 1380 W. Florida Ave, is a nonprofit amphitheater in Ruby Hill Park. It opened in 2017 and is owned by the city of Denver. It typically presents 40-50 concerts and events between May and October each year. Subscribe to our new food newsletter, Stuffed, to get Denver food and drink news sent straight to your inbox. ...read more read less