Geelong-based celebration of all things brewed, the Great Australian Beer Festival (GABF), will be held on 20-21 January at Johnstone Park.
Turning 10 this year, GABF includes a line-up of more than 300 breweries, cideries, distilleries, cocktail specialists, vineyards and street food vendors. Live music and comedy will also be on offer, alongside cooking masterclasses, workshops, and coverage of the Australian Open shown on the big screen.
Breweries including Balter Brewing, Coopers Brewery, Bentspoke Brewing Co., Kaiju! Beer, and Prancing Pony, will all be in attendance.
This year sees the return of Barrett Burston Masterclass Stage, featuring Tif Waldron (National Beer Brand Manager and President of the Pink Boot Society), alongside brewer forums, beer and food matching, tastings led by local industry leaders.
Kieran Blood, Found and Co-Director of the festival, was delighted by the wide range of this year’s offering at the festival.
“We are expecting a sold-out crowd with a diverse mix of locals and visitors from all parts of Australia and overseas,” Blood said.
“At GABF, we love to push the boundaries and most of all, create lifelong memories through unique and engaging experiences.
Entertainment will be provided via musicians Gabby Steel, Maz Green Jasmin Adria, Tyne James Organ and Jolyon Petch on Friday, and Seamus McCorry, Violas, Ash Grunwald, The Natural Culture and Telenova on Saturday.
Comedy is also on offer, with Stewart Bell hosting and Nick Cody, Tom Ballard and Alex Ward and Kirsty Webeck performing.
In 2023, the City of Geelong Council have come aboard as a partner, with Blood hailing this as a significant step for the festival.
“We are both excited and honoured to have the opportunity to work in partnership with the City of Geelong to continue to invest in diverse programs that showcase the best of our region to the rest of the world.
“The increased program across two days is set to bring over 8000 people from all over Victoria and interstate into the Greater Geelong region, with many opting to stay more nights to experience the abundance of activities and entertainment on offer.
“This means a massive economic injection into the local hospitality and retail industry,” Blood concluded.
GABF takes place at 4-7pm 20 January, and 12-7pm 21January, and is hosted at Geelong’s Johnstone Park.
Tickets and more information can be found here.