Fourth Annual, Reimagined Vail Craft Beer Classic Returns Aug. 14-15
The fourth annual Vail Craft Beer Classic, taking place Friday and Saturday, August 14 and 15, in the heart of Vail, will offer a reimagined, VIP-esque experience for 2020 ticket holders. While many of the smaller events that make up a traditional Vail Craft Beer Classic are unavailable this year due to COVID-19 safety procedures and precautions, beer lovers will get even more (masked) face-time with their favorite brewers at four Toast of Vail sessions, each limiting the number of ticket holders to ensure physical distancing and no beer lines.
Sessions & Tickets
Two 90-minute Toast of Vail sessions will be hosted at a park adjacent to the Ford Sculpture Garden and Betty Ford Alpine Gardens – an outdoor venue deemed safe by The Town of Vail – at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Friday, August 14. The two remaining 90-minute sessions will be hosted at the same venue at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, August 15. Tickets are $49 each and available now for online purchase. Participating breweries and cideries include: Odell Brewing Co.; Firestone Walker Brewing Co.; Ratio Beerworks; Colorado Cider Co.; Snow Capped Cider; and more.
COVID-19 Safety Procedures & Health Standards
Vail Craft Beer Classic organizers have worked diligently to both implement health standards required by Eagle County and go above and beyond to protect patrons. Brewers and event staff are required to wear masks and gloves for the entirety of each session. Single use cups will be enforced in order to avoid cross-contaminations and each session will be limited to 175 guests to allow space for physical distancing. Hand sanitizer will be supplied and restrooms for handwashing will be readily available throughout the venue. To encourage physical distancing while collecting beer samples, space markers of six-feet will guide any lines that may form at a brewer’s booth, and booths will be strategically spread out across the venue. Guests will be required to wear masks while collecting beer samples and moving about the event space, but are invited to remove them on the lawn, once re-settled with their own group. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs to stake out personal space – event staff will help encourage physical distancing from other groups – to serve as a “home base” for the session, and a place to relax, enjoy live music and indulge in unlimited craft beer samples.
“A summer without beer festivals is a sad thought for Coloradans. We have been working on a way to bring people together safely to enjoy the beers and atmosphere they love,” says Jason Ornstein, owner of Team Player Productions, who produces the event. “The COVID-19 adjustments will actually make for a pretty great festival experience for our beer loving patrons. Most festivals allow for one brewery per 50-100 people; at this year’s Vail Craft Beer Classic, we’ll have about one brewery per 10 guests. We’re looking at the silver linings of physical distancing here – no lines!”
Nonprofit Partners
The 2020 Vail Craft Beer Festival will once again benefit community nonprofit partner Vail Valley Mountain Bike Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that aims to establish Eagle County, Colo., as a premier mountain biking and hiking destination. The organization, founded in 2011, coordinates volunteer trail work, organizes events, trains volunteer trail construction crew leaders and donates its shared talents, time and leadership to support local soft surface trail initiatives.
