Columbus Beerfest dries out, won't host festivals in 2025

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus is losing a biannual tradition after 15 years of celebration, festivals and craft beer.

Columbus Beerfest announced via social media that its winter and summer beer festivals will not continue in 2025. Organizers said the festivals were beloved but cannot compete in a post-pandemic economy.

Since the summer of 2010, Columbus Beerfest has hosted two annual festivals: Winter Beerfest at the Convention Center, and Summer Beerfest at Kemba Live. The tradition broke last summer, when there was no Summer Beerfest announced in 2024.

"Columbus Craft Beer is still awesome! But the large format festival model we created here, in the best, largest and most expensive venues in town, no longer works here in the new post-Covid world of lower attendance and higher costs," organizers wrote.

Columbus Beerfest said it will still maintain its social media pages to promote large events hosted by local breweries. The post directed people to continue the fun in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Pittsburgh, where winter festival attendance numbers are still high.

The last Columbus Winter Brewfest took place in January when tickets ranged from $25 for designated drivers to $100 for all the perks. Designated driver tickets did not permit alcohol, but all other admission offers gave attendees 25 sample tickets to try more than 150 pours from local craft breweries, wineries and distilleries.

Columbus Brewfest organizers encouraged fans to keep supporting local breweries and keep an eye out for any future events they may plan. They left Brewfest fans with a parting message: "Until we meet again, Columbus!"