‘Tis the season — BEER season. (We are not talking about Christmas, yet. C’mon.) The 18th annual San Juan Brewfest comes to Durango, Colorado, on Saturday, Aug. 27. The festival features beers from 54 breweries who will be slinging their suds all day long at Buckley Park in downtown Durango.

Although most of the breweries are from Colorado, there will be craft brewers from Boston, Seattle, San Diego and even Juneau, Alaska. New additions to this year’s roster include Denver’s Renegade Brewing Company, Chicago’s Goose Island Beer Company, Wyoming-based Melvin Brewing Company, and Full Sail Brewing from Hood River, Oregon to name a few.

Festival-goers and beer-lovers have a variety of ticket options:

• General Admission: General admission tickets run $30 (plus a $2.49 service charge) and include a souvenir 5-ounce tasting glass and unlimited tastings.
• Upgraded General Admission: Tickets cost $45 plus a small service fee. The upgraded access gets you in 30 minutes early as well as an event T-shirt, a souvenir 5-ounce tasting glass and unlimited tastings.
• VIP: For $70, VIPs get into the event an hour early and receive a souvenir 5-ounce tasting glass with unlimited tastings, an event T-shirt, access to the VIP Lounge during the Brewfest with shaded seating and a meal from Zia Taqueria. The ticket also includes an invitation to the private party the night before, on Friday, Aug. 26, with the participating breweries at Steamworks Brewing Company.
• Designated Driver: Those who don’t want to drink don’t have to miss out on the fun! A DD ticket is only $15 and comes with a couple coupons for non-alcoholic “mocktails.”

The festival runs from 1-5 p.m. and will also feature live music from opening act Hog MaGundy followed by Durango-based Liver Down The River and headliner Sweetwater String Band. Food vendors will be selling tacos, craft sausages, hummus and Indonesian and Asian food.

The festival sold out the past two years, and organizers expect the 2016 San Juan Brewfest to sell out again this year. To guarantee your spot, buy your tickets online today. And, for those who are visiting from out of town and looking for Durango hotels, we can say the same. Summer is our busy season, and San Juan Brewfest is a busy weekend, so book your room with us at the Durango Quality Inn before they’re all gone. The Quality Inn Durango is only two miles north of Buckley Park and is a quick, easy (and safe!) trip on the city’s Main Avenue Trolley — only $1 per ride!

Quick reminder: Leave the kids and pets at home! (Preferably with a babysitter, for the kids at least). San Juan Brewfest is a 21-and-over event. Anyone who arrives with their children or dogs will be turned away at the gate.