1. Sponsorship

Sponsorship Opportunities

GABF Sponsorship Opportunity GABF Sponsorship Opportunity GABF Sponsorship Opportunity GABF Sponsorship Opportunity

About the Festival

The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) is the country’s largest indoor preeminent beer festival seeing more than 40,000 beer loving attendees. GABF also features one of the nation’s largest beer competitions judging over 9,400 beers from over 2,000 breweries.

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Learn about event facts and figures, attendee demographic information and more! View our 2023 GABF Post Event Report.

Crowded festival floor

Interested in Sponsorship?

Please fill out our Inquiry Form so that we will be sure to communicate as the event approaches.

We have incredible sponsorship offerings that allow you to target the three groups below. Click on each tab to see the standard packages included for you to reach your marketing objectives.

Sponsorship Packages

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Use the Sponsorship Matrix to compare sponsorship level benefits to find the right fit for you.

Our standard Supporter Sponsorship packages start at $5,500 and go up from there. Click on the plus icons below to read a little more about each level.

Official Sponsor Details

If you are looking to give your company a high profile at GABF, this level will deliver, with naming rights for a festival asset, a premier exhibit space, logo placement on all GABF collateral, including billboards, posters, postcards, national print advertising, and so much more.

We’ll work with you to achieve your marketing goals and help you get the very most out of the event. There are only a select few sponsors at the official level, so your company stands out above all the rest.

See a detailed overview of Official Sponsorship Packages

Brand Your Company at the Festival

Following are current assets that you can brand within the festival. Or, bring us your idea!

Official Nightly Event Paired™ Volunteers The Backyard
Cellar Crew Brew Pub Pavilion Heavy Medal Specialty Area Ticket Offer to Attendees
Photo Sponsor Attendee Bag Non-alcoholic Specialty Area Silent Disco
History of Beer Area Brewers Registration Wrist Bands Main Stage
Brewers Studio Wish We Were Here Area Designated Driver Lounge

When your company signs on as an Associate Level sponsor, you’ll have the choice between festival asset naming rights or premier exhibit space, an incredible hospitality package, plus logo placement on all GABF collateral, banner placement in the festival hall, website banner advertisement, and more.

You’ll enjoy being amongst a small group of sponsors at this level for utmost visibility on posters and postcards sent throughout the nation, as well as national print advertising.

See a detailed overview of Associate Sponsorship Packages

Exhibiting Package

Enjoy great access to the 400 breweries at the festival as well as target attendees via social promotions on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This level sets you apart in a big way by offering access to benefits that aren’t necessarily seen in other packages. Packages start at $15,000.

Non-Exhibiting Package

Our Patron Sponsors enjoy phenomenal viability. Host a brewers hospitality where you can place materials or have your own event and let us market it for you. A great hospitality package ensures you the opportunity for lots of networking.

See a detailed overview of Patron Sponsorship Packages

Exhibiting Package

If your company is looking to make the most of your marketing budget, this sponsorship level delivers with an exhibit space, logo placement on all festival collateral, website banner advertisement, and more. This level starts at $7,500.

Non-Exhibiting Package

This package is designed to get your brand in front of breweries in the festival and reach all attendees without having a booth presence. You enjoy a great hospitality package to enjoy networking before, during and after the festival, as well as advertising on the website, and on event signage.

See a detailed overview of Premier Sponsorship Packages.

Exhibiting Package

Starting at $5,500, this is the most economical level of sponsorship and includes a 10’ x 10’ exhibit space, logo placement on all festival collateral, banner placement in the festival hall, website banner advertisement and more.

Non-Exhibiting Package

Beer industry professionals know that GABF is the best way to reach both consumers and industry members, which is why this sponsor level is ideal if your company is doing business with beer. Your company will receive logo placement on all festival collateral, banner placement in the festival hall, and materials that help you reach breweries such a registered brewery mailing list.

See a detailed overview of Supporter Sponsorship Packages

Festival Opportunities

Reach Breweries in the Festival Hall

Engage with thousands of brewery representatives from across the U.S. participating in the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) and Competition. Join us to celebrate craft beer, appreciate your customers, make new connections, and support the community. We have opportunities to connect with brewers in the hall for the three days of the Festival, as well as during the Competition Awards Ceremony on Saturday.

On the evening of Wednesday, October 9th, we welcome brewery representatives participating in GABF to kick off the week’s festivities at the Brewers Gathering, a pre-event reception held in the Colorado Convention Center. Your company can be one of up to four (4) Presenting Sponsors. Join us to kick off the week right! 

Sponsorship benefits:

  • One (1) dedicated area at the event.
  • Ability to serve beer in your area (Sponsor to coordinate with brewery customer(s) or other professionally brewed beer).  
  • The option to display up to four (4) self-standing banners around the Brewers Gathering. (Banners provided by Sponsor.)
  • Company logo included on Brewers Gathering tickets.
  • Company logo included on event pouring glasses (Must confirm by June 2023).
  • Recognition on signage placed around the Brewers Gathering. (Produced by the Brewers Association.)
  • Recognition on any pre-event communications to breweries with information about the Brewers Gathering.
  • Rotational banner advertising for six (6) months on ‘Brewers Info’ page of GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com.
  • Ten (10) tickets to the Brewers Gathering.

Package starts at $7,500.

Nearly 4,000 brewery representatives from more than nearly 400 breweries will be showcasing their best beers to 40,000 attendees during four GABF tasting sessions. Sponsor brewers’ first touch point at the Registration area where representatives and other VIPs receive their event credentials, gifts and other critical event information.

Sponsorship Benefits:

  • Brand Registration kiosk panels with your company logo.
  • Opportunity to display your company literature in the Attendee Gift Pick Up Area, such as a table display size brochure.
  • Receive a banner advertisement on registration confirmation emails that go out to badged attendees.
  • Locator signs will indicate your company as the sponsor of the Registration Area.

Hospitality Benefits:

  • Six All-access Sponsor badges and 16 session tickets

National Brand Prominence:

Sponsor logo and/or recognition included on: marketing emails, sponsorship pages of GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com and Thank You signage

Package starts at $10,000.

Brand the lanyards that all brewers, sponsors, media, judges, and other VIP receive, granting various access to the festival. We anticipate purchasing around 9,500 lanyards to cover the needs of the event, and all would have your company logo! The Brewers Association will print, order, and pay for the lanyards.

Badges & Tickets

  • Six All-access Sponsor badges and 14 session tickets

Promotional Materials:

  • One (1) electronic coupon or offer to festival volunteers distributed pre- and post- event 

Advertising:

  • Two (2) months of banner advertising on GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com 

National Brand Prominence:

Sponsor logo and/or recognition included on: marketing emails, sponsorship pages of GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com and Thank You signage

Package starts at $10,000.

Host breweries and/or other special guests by executing a VIP Festival experience during all four sessions of the Great American Beer Festival. Help brewers get off their feet, get a larger pour and take a break from pouring to the nearly 15,000 attendees in the hall each session.

Sponsorship Benefits:

  • One (1) 20’ x 20’ designated area in the festival hall where VIPs can relax and enjoy special treatment throughout the event. 
  • Ability to brand Lounge however you choose, as well as provide swag and other items to brewers entering into space. (To be approved by the Brewers Association.)
  • Lounge will be furnished with high boys and small rounds with seating. Additional furniture can be purchased and coordinated through Decorator.
  • Ability to provide food/snacks from the Convention Center (additional fee). Or, offer food vouchers from the food trucks in the hall.

Hospitality Benefits:

  • Six All-access Sponsor badges and 16 session tickets

National Brand Prominence:

Sponsor logo and/or recognition included on: marketing emails, sponsorship pages of GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com and Thank You signage

Package starts at $10,000.

Sponsor your best customer as a Featured Brewery on the festival floor! As a Featured Craft Brewery, you and your brewery partner will enhance your brand recognition and stand out to festival attendees. Support a customer and/or showcase your ingredients in a final product for festival attendees, professional brewery representatives and homebrewing hobbyists. 

Consider taking on additional space in the hall next to the brewery you’re sponsoring for an even greater hall presence! This sponsorship opportunity will help your brewery partner to reach and influence Festival attendees, as well as brand your brewery’s name with the most prestigious beer festival in the country.

Sponsorship Benefits for the Brewery:

  • A 10’ x 10’ (or larger) booth space within the Festival hall. Your booth space will be available for all four (4) Festival sessions and will include a skirted 6’ table, 10’h x 8’w high pipe and drape. Electricity is NOT included. Larger footprint options are available.
  • 200 lbs. of drayage.
  • Digital advertisement displayed on 14’ screens inside the Festival hall.
  • Brewery logo included on all available event collateral where Featured Breweries are recognized. This includes GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com, sponsor “thank you” signage, brewery listings and any additional marketing functions featuring this sponsorship level.

Beer Registration Benefits:

  • Ability to pour up to 10 beers in the hall. Standard inline booths pour up to five beers.
  • Brewery must register and pay for competition entry fees for five beers. The additional five beers poured are free of charge.

Hospitality Benefits:

  • Six All-access Sponsor badges and 16 session tickets

Sponsorship Benefits for Your Company Sponsoring the Featured Brewery:

  • 2 Sponsor badges (Access for all four (4) sessions) 
  • Website banner advertisement in the Brewers Info section on GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com for four (4) months.

*Cost dependent upon brewery’s 2023 annual barrelage and size of total booth footprint. Each additional 10’ x 10’ space costs $4,000.

Package starts at $4,500.

Nearly 4,000 brewery representatives from 300+ breweries will check in at Brewers Registration to receive their credentials for GABF. Provide a gift for brewery representatives to pick up. Your brand will be remembered and supported!

Sponsorship Benefits:

  • Promotional item (provided by Sponsor) delivered to each pouring brewery at the start of a session of your choice.
  • One (1) Banner advertisement on BA.org for one (1) month 
  • Recognition on GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com
  • Recognition in all ‘Thank you’ to sponsors emails

Hospitality Benefits:

  • Four All-access Sponsor badges and 8 session tickets

National Brand Prominence:

Sponsor logo and/or recognition included on: marketing emails, sponsorship pages of GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com and Thank You signage

Package starts at $4,000 + product.

Over 300 breweries will be showcasing their best beers to 50,000 attendees during four GABF tasting sessions. Provide a gift to brewery representatives before the start of one of the sessions. Drive them to your booth on the floor, to meet you at an event or visit your website for more.

Sponsorship Benefits:

  • Promotional item (provided by Sponsor) delivered to each pouring brewery at the start of a session of your choice.
  • One (1) banner advertisement in the Brewers section of GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com for two (2) months. 

Hospitality Benefits:

  • Four All-access Sponsor badges and 8 session tickets

National Brand Prominence:

Sponsor logo and/or recognition included on: marketing emails, sponsorship pages of GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com and Thank You signage

Package starts at $3,500 + product.

Your brand will take center stage when you host a Sponsored Nightly Event after one of the Great American Beer Festival evening sessions. Your company will plan and produce the event, and we’ll work with you to promote and market it to breweries at GABF, as well as breweries in the Rocky Mountain Region. Sponsored Nightly Events take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. 

Sponsorship Benefits:

  • Details of your event will be included in a pre-festival email to breweries.
  • Your event highlighted on the Week Events page on GreatAmericanBeerfestival.com.
  • Your event highlighted in the GABF app and Event Schedule.
  • The Brewers Association will create signage promoting your event placed in prominent locations.
  • Website banner ad featured on GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com for up to five months.
  • Promotion. Sponsor will receive logo and/or name on Festival collateral materials that highlight sponsors, including recognition throughout GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com, ‘Thank You’ signage at the Festival and a ‘Thank You’ advertisement in the Great American Beer Festival Program.
  • The right to use this sponsorship title in your own promotional materials in 2024 (subject to Brewers Association approval).

Package starts at $3,000 + cost of event.

Competition Opportunities

Reach Breweries during the Saturday Awards Ceremony

On Saturday, October 12, brewers enjoy the longest day of the three-day Great American Beer Festival. The Awards Ceremony—the largest Competition in the world—starts at 10 am, followed by the final tasting session at noon. Your company can be one of up to 12 total sponsors of the Brewers Lounge from 9 am – 2 pm*. Located outside the Bellco Theater where the GABF Competition Awards Ceremony will be held, the Brewers Lounge will be available only to representatives from breweries participating in GABF (Festival and Competition) and sponsors. The Brewers Association will provide breakfast at 9 am and lunch immediately following the GABF Competition Awards Ceremony. 

Sponsorship Benefits:

  • Dedicated 6 ft. skirted table, two chairs and ability to display up to two (2) pop-up banners and/or company collateral (banners provided by sponsor; each should not exceed 3’ wide).
  • Announcement and slide during GABF Awards Ceremony promoting the VIP Lounge and highlighting sponsors. 
  • Pre-event email to all GABF registered breweries (Festival and Competition) promoting the VIP Lounge and highlighting sponsors.  
  • Signage promoting the VIP Lounge and highlighting sponsors to be placed in the following areas:
    • Entrances to Bellco Theater during GABF Competition Awards Ceremony
    • GABF Brewers Registration area
  • Rotational banner advertising for six (6) months on ‘Brewers Info’ section of GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com.
  • Three (3) tickets for Great American Beer Festival Competition Awards Ceremony.
  • Three (3) Sponsor Badges for Great American Beer Festival (good for all four sessions).
  • Two (2) General Admission tickets to each of the Thursday and Friday night sessions of Great American Beer Festival.

* Times subject to change.

Package starts at $4,500.

Brewers, industry suppliers, beer enthusiasts and more can enjoy the approximately two-hour Awards Ceremony wherein gold, silver and bronze medal winning breweries from 98 style categories will be announced and recognized.

The ‘Brewery of the Year’ Awards are as follows:

  • Brewery Group and Brewer of the Year
  • 15,001 – 100,000 barrels
  • 5,001 – 15,000 barrels
  • 2,001 – 5,000 barrels
  • 1,001 – 2,000 barrels
  • 501 – 1,000 barrels
  • 251 – 500 barrels
  • 0 – 250 barrels

Sponsorship Benefits

  • Opportunity to announce the winner of Award on stage during the Awards Ceremony. 
  • Mention from MC before category is read (e.g., The Brewery Group of the Year is sponsored by your company).
  • Logo included on screen when award is read. 
  • Banner advertisement on category results search page.
  • GABF Competition registered brewery contact information (no email addresses).
  • Competition Sponsor Thank You ad in the November/December issue of The New Brewer.
  • Four (4) tickets to the GABF Competition Awards Ceremony on Saturday, October 12.

Brand Recognition

Sponsor logo and/or recognition included on: marketing emails, sponsorship pages of GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com and Thank You signage

Package starts at $1,750.

Brewers, industry suppliers, beer enthusiasts and more can enjoy the Awards Ceremony—both in person at the Colorado Convention Center or via live (and then archived) steam—wherein gold, silver and bronze medal winning breweries from 99 style categories will be announced and recognized.

The GABF Competition Category Sponsorship offers an opportunity for your company to be part of the Awards Ceremony and show your support for the 2,000+ breweries attempting to achieve recognition for their brewing excellence by winning a GABF medal.  

The 15 top styles are priced at $1,250 per category. These are the most popular consumer styles with the largest number of entries into the competition. In order of most entered style: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale, American-Style India Pale Ale, Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale, Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout, German-Style Pilsener, Fruited American-Style Sour Ale, German-Style Kolsch, Imperial India Pale Ale, Experimental Beer, American-Style Pale Ale, German-Style Wheat Ale, American-Style Strong Pale Ale, Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale, Munich-Style Helles, Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale, Bohemian-Style Pilsener.

Up to 50 categories are available for sponsorship and the list of categories open can be seen here.

Category Sponsorship Benefits

  • Logo included on screen when three awards (gold, silver, bronze) for sponsored category are read. 
  • Banner advertisement on category results search page.
  • Company name listed as sponsor on the Competition Styles Categories brewers page.
  • Competition Sponsor Thank You ad in the November/December issue of The New Brewer.
  • Recognition on the ‘Competition Sponsors’ page on GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com.

Additional Benefit for Top Style Categories:

  • Mention from MC before category is read (e.g. “The American-style IPA category is sponsored by your company.”)

$1,250 for top 15 styles; $850 for all others.

There will be a limited number of 30-second commercials interspersed throughout the Awards Ceremony. You will have the 5,000 attending brewers’ full attention when your commercial plays during the Ceremony, as well as those seeing the live stream throughout the country. 

Sponsorship Benefits:

  • 30-second commercial to air during the GABF Awards Ceremony. Commercial to be produced by Sponsor. Content to be approved by the Brewers Association. 
  • Rotational banner advertising for six (6) months on ‘Brewers Info’ section of GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com.
  • Two (2) tickets for Great American Beer Festival Competition Awards Ceremony.
  • Logo on all sponsor ‘Thank You’ recognition signage. 

Package starts at $1,750.

Each medal winning brewery of the 99 competition categories (293 total medals) receives a box as they exit the stage to place their coveted medal in for taking home. Provide a business-sized card into this box with a special offer, such as a gift for coming to your booth, or a free order of your product. 

Benefits:

  • Ability to give a sponsor-provided printed card (3.5”w x 2”h) to all GABF medal winners. 
  • Two (2) tickets to the Great American Beer Festival Competition Awards Ceremony.

Package starts at $750.

Give a gift to brewers as they enter into the Awards Ceremony, one of brewers most favorite times of the year!

Benefits:

  • Ability to provide a sponsor-provided gift to all brewers entering the Awards Ceremony. 
  • Two (2) tickets to the Great American Beer Festival Competition Awards Ceremony.

Package starts at $2,000.

Additional Visibility Opportunities

Place a banner advertisement on GABF informational emails that go to breweries around the country. Emails will be sent every other week.

Package starts at $750.

Stand out and get noticed! Your company will have a larger-than-life presence on the festival floor with two separate 58.5” w x 95.25”h fabric panels that stand in front of the many pillars within the festival space.

Package starts at $3,500 for 2 locations.

Showcase your brand with a 10’w x 10’h wall banner along the perimeter of the festival hall. Sponsor to provide hanging banner. 

Package starts at $750 + banner.

Are you ready to step up your marketing efforts and promote your brand to the largest, most receptive beverage alcohol enthusiast audience found anywhere in North America?  GABF offers a Featured Beverage Producer Sponsorship that will elevate your brand’s profile.

Included with a Featured Craft Beverage Producer sponsorship package is a 10’ x 10’ booth space, electronic banner(s) within the festival, all-access sponsor badges, extra tickets for your staff or customers, and your brewery’s logo highlighted as a sponsor on all related festival collateral.

This sponsorship opportunity will help your company reach and influence festival attendees, stand out among the other nearly 400 breweries and beverage producers in the festival, as well as brand your company’s name with the most prestigious beer festival in the country.

If interested, please contact Kevin.

The Great American Beer Festival offers the perfect opportunity for Red Robin to reinforce its beer focus and showcase its passion for beer. Red Robin saw the Great American Beer Festival as the perfect place to reinforce its beer focus and showcase its passion for beer among the nation’s best breweries, brew masters and its peers.

Sheila Zimmerman, Assistant Marketing Manager, Red Robin International, Inc

Contact us for more information!

Kari Harrington

Kari Harrington

Sr. Manager, Business Development

Email Kari

Kevin Doidge

Kevin Doidge

Sales Director

Email Kevin

Headshot of Kim Derr

Kim Derr

Sales Activation Manager, Featured Brewer & Supplier Inquiries

Email Kim