SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Untappd, the world’s largest social networking platform for craft beer enthusiasts, announced dates for the Untappd Beer Festival, scheduled to take place in San Diego October 1-3, 2021 at Petco Park, home of Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres.
The Untappd Beer Festival is the first major in-person beer festival to be announced since the easing of COVID-19 regulations. In the spirit of inclusiveness, a virtual option will be offered at a later date for those unable to attend in-person.
“The pandemic took a heavy toll on both craft breweries and the event industry,” commented Talia Spera, Vice President of Festivals and Live Events at Next Glass, Inc., the parent company of Untappd.“We are eager to bring the community back together in person, providing an opportunity to showcase the incredible talent of these world-class brewers. We look forward to enjoying great beer, great music, and a great time with our Untappd community.”
The Untappd event staff has been working closely with Petco Park staff to produce an event in accordance with current CDC guidelines.
“We are excited to welcome the Untappd Beer Festival to Petco Park and offer guests a full weekend of various beer options and live entertainment at the #1 ballpark in America,” said Jaclyn Lash, VP of Special Events for the Padres. “Over the last year, we have safely produced various events at Petco Park, including the first drive-in concerts in the state during the pandemic, socially-distanced holiday events, a one-of-a-kind nine-hole golf experience and much more while navigating through the challenges brought on by COVID. As we move towards normalcy throughout California, we are thrilled to host one of the first in-person beer festivals and continue to play an integral role in bringing live events back to San Diego.”
Festival attendees will have the option of attending four different sessions. Each session will offer unlimited samples from more than 70 of the nation’s favorite breweries, the opportunity to chat with brewers and other craft beer fans, and a line-up of live music.
In addition to being the first in-person craft beer festival in over a year, the Untappd Beer Festival in San Diego represents a milestone for Next Glass as it officially launches Untappd’s live events division, a group the company significantly invested in over the past two years.
“We’ve been eager to offer craft beer enthusiasts a lineup of world class events since we assembled our team, led by Talia, back in late-2019. Obviously, the pandemic brought all live events to a screeching halt. We’re excited to now produce an event that will be safe for attendees and an experience that will rival any in craft beer,” said Trace Smith, CEO of Next Glass. “Our team has 30+ years of collective experience running events at the largest entertainment companies and at the largest venues in the world. Combining that capability with the specific beer festival expertise we’ve added to our team through the acquisitions of BeerAdvocate and Hop Culture, two organizations renowned for the dozens of beer festivals they’ve hosted, positions us well to offer craft fans an unparalleled experience.”
Untappd Beer Festival Details
Four sessions will be offered as part of the Untappd Beer Festival in San Diego:
- Friday, October 1, 2021 – 5:30pm – 10:00pm
- Saturday, October 2, 2021 – 11:00am – 3:30pm
- Saturday, October 2, 2021 – 5:30pm – 10:00pm
- Sunday, October 3, 2021 – 12:00pm – 4:30pm
More than 70 breweries from around the country will pour at the festival, including Around the Horn Brewing Company, Drekker Brewing Co., Great Notion Brewing, Ingenious Brewing Co., and Raíces Brewing Co. More breweries will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
Food options and the live music lineup will be announced throughout the summer.
Ticket Options
Three levels of ticket options are available for purchase.
General Admission – three and a half hours of unlimited beer tasting and a souvenir tasting cup
VIP Experience – four and a half hours of unlimited beer tasting (including an hour of early admission prior to general admission), a souvenir tasting cup and lanyard, access to the VIP Beach and Pier overlooking right-center field, exclusive VIP-only beer tastings, exclusive guided beer tastings, plus a VIP gift
Virtual Experience (to be released at a later date) – a package of ten featured beers delivered to your door, a souvenir tasting cup, exclusive live footage from the festival, and broadcast interviews with participating brewers
A portion of the proceeds from the Untappd Beer Festival will go to Untappd’s Official Charitable Partner, the San Diego Brewers Guild, to support its mission of increasing the visibility of locally made beer through education and participation in community events.
In an effort to create a safe and welcoming environment, Untappd is introducing a Code of Conduct governing all Next Glass events. All Untappd Beer Festival attendees, including participating brewery representatives, must agree to abide by the Code, which will be prominently displayed in all communications, at point of purchase, and at the festival itself.
“It’s very important to us that all attendees feel safe and welcome,” explained Spera. “We’re committed to working with our partner breweries, all vendors, and the Petco Park staff to make sure everyone at the festival feels comfortable and has an opportunity to enjoy this great event.”
About Next Glass
Founded in 2013, Next Glass develops software and creates experiences that connect enthusiasts, retailers, and producers in the beverage alcohol industry. Its award-winning Untappd mobile application and BeerAdvocate website are used by millions of beer enthusiasts around the world and its menu publishing software tool, Untappd for Business, enables venues to streamline publication and promotion of their beer, wine, cocktail, and food menus. In late-2019 the Company added its Live! division to produce world class festivals and events and in 2020, welcomed Hop Culture and Oznr to the family, offering lifestyle engagement opportunities to the beer community.
For More Information:
https://festivals.untappd.com/san-diego-beer-festival-2021/