Get Ready for the 2025 Maryland Craft Beer Festival in Frederick

Photos by Mark Raker

The 11th annual Maryland Craft Beer Festival returns to Frederick on Saturday, May 10, 2025. This popular event will be held at the beautiful Carroll Creek Linear Park in downtown Frederick, where beer lovers can sample over 200 different beers from across Maryland. “The Maryland Craft Beer Festival is truly a celebration of the state’s craft brewing community — one that brings together longtime craft beer fans and curious newcomers together,” says Caroline Sission, Brand Manager for Heavy Seas Beer and President of the Brewers Association of Maryland (BAM). “It gives festival attendees the opportunity to explore an incredible variety of locally made beer styles in one place.” 

As in past years, the Maryland Craft Beer Festival will showcase an impressive variety of breweries from across the state. Beer enthusiasts will have the chance to sample creations from established favorites and exciting newcomers alike among the 58 participating breweries.

Baltimore’s beer scene will be well represented, with fan-favorite UNION Craft Brewing making a return appearance. If you’re a sports fan, you might recognize Checkerspot and M8 Beer, both located near Baltimore’s stadiums. The festival will also feature Heavy Seas Beer, which will bring its more than three decades of brewing expertise to the event.

The festival shows off the diversity of Maryland brewing. Women-owned Denizens Brewing Co. from Riverdale will be pouring, as will Manor Hill, Howard County’s first farm brewery located in Ellicott City. Beer enthusiasts may also recognize Cushwa Brewing from Williamsport, the American home of Guinness at their Open Gate Brewery, and the friendly folks from Brewery Fire in Taneytown.

Since the festival is in Frederick, local breweries will be out in full force. Look for hometown favorites like Rockwell Brewery, Attaboy Beer, Steinhardt Brewing, Olde Mother Brewing, and others, showing why Frederick has become such a hot spot for craft beer fans.

Some breweries will be making their festival debut this year, including Mayan Monkey, City Boy Brewing, Sandbox Brewing, and Brudr Bier. It’s a great chance to try something brand new!

One of the coolest things about the festival is getting to sample beers from every corner of Maryland without leaving Carroll Creek Park. You can try brews from Prince Frederick’s Mully’s Brewery, Berlin’s Burley Oak, and Cumberland’s 1812 Brewery, all in one afternoon. 

About 2,500 to 3,000 people are expected to attend. Beer fans will have plenty of time to sample their favorite brews. VIP ticket holders (Beer Geek Pass) can enter at noon, while general admission starts at 1:30 PM. The festival runs until 5:00 PM, with last call at 4:45 PM. But there’s more than just beer at this event. Live music will keep the crowd entertained throughout the day, the The Plate Scrapers bringing their unique bluegrass sound to the festival. “We are stoked to be playing the Maryland Craft Beer Festival! Maryland has been crushing it in the craft brewery scene, and we’ve had the pleasure of playing music at many Maryland breweries. Lots of great beer brewed by great folks!” says Jody Mosser, who plays dobro with The Plate Scrapers.

No beer festival would be complete without good food. This year’s event features several food trucks and eateries, including Mayta’s Peruvian Cuisine, In10se BBQ, Punk ‘N Peasant Pierogi, Grilled Cheese Please, Bacon On A Stick, Sabor de Cuba, and The Paella & Tapas Place. Shoppers will find plenty to browse with local craft vendors and retail shops set up throughout the festival. New for 2025, the festival has partnered with Soul Street, an organization that supports Black-owned businesses. Soul Street will bring a variety of Black-owned artisan businesses selling handmade goods and unique merchandise.

The festival isn’t just a fun day out—it serves an important purpose for Maryland’s brewing community. “The Maryland Craft Beer Festival is a cornerstone event for the Brewers Association of Maryland — it brings our mission to life in a very tangible way,” explains Sission. “It’s an opportunity for dozens of breweries from across the state, large and small, to showcase their products, connect directly with consumers, and gain exposure they might not otherwise have.” Money raised from the festival helps support the Brewers Association of Maryland and its work promoting local breweries across the state. By attending, beer lovers are directly supporting Maryland’s growing craft beer industry.

If you’re planning to attend, here are some helpful tips. Bring your ID – everyone needs a valid, government-issued ID to enter. Buy tickets in advance as they won’t be sold at the door. Consider bringing pretzels to cleanse your palate between beer samples. Leave coolers, chairs, tents, and outside alcohol at home, but bring a blanket if you want to relax on the green spaces. The festival happens rain or shine, so check the weather forecast. Plan your transportation, as there are several parking garages and lots nearby. There are three entrance gates: the Downtown Entrance at 44 S Market Street, the East Street Entrance at 1209 S East Street, and the MARC Station Kiss & Ride entrance.

Sission points out that the festival offers more than just great drinks: “Beyond the beer, it’s the community energy that sets this festival apart. Attendees aren’t just sampling beer — they’re meeting the brewers, hearing the stories behind the beers, and getting a firsthand look at the creativity and passion that defines Maryland’s craft scene.” The Carroll Creek Linear Park location puts festival-goers right in the heart of downtown Frederick. After the festival, visitors can explore the city’s many shops, restaurants, and bars. Re-entry to the festival is allowed, so you can take a break to check out what else Frederick has to offer. For beer lovers in Maryland, this festival has become one of the most anticipated events of the spring. Whether you’re a craft beer expert or just curious about trying something new, the Maryland Craft Beer Festival offers a perfect opportunity to sample some of the best brews the state has to offer, all while enjoying good food, music, and community.

Photos by Mark Raker include previous years’ festivals, including returning food vendors and The Plate Scrapers’ Jody Mosser (taken at a different concert), who is quoted in the article.