Maryland Beer Fans Are Invited To “Build Your Own”
Visit breweries and enjoy local craft beer during this week-long beer festival celebration
(ANNAPOLIS, MD) – After a long year of restrictions and changing business models, fans of Maryland craft beer are invited to celebrate our state’s growing craft beer industry. Saturday, May 8 kicks off the week-long 2021 Build Your Own Maryland Craft Beer Festival. Participating in the festival is as simple as visiting a local brewery or craft beer retailer and enjoying Maryland-brewed beer.
Traditionally hosted each May in Frederick, the Maryland Craft Beer Festival is a critical fundraiser for the Brewers Association of Maryland (BAM) and is a popular amongst regional beer enthusiasts seeking great tasting local beer. In normal years, the event drew crowds of nearly 4,000 people to the Carroll Creek Linear Park and showcased more than 60 breweries from the Old Line State. Due to local restrictions surrounding large-format events, this year’s Maryland Craft Beer Festival has been redesigned to put the consumer in charge of their experience.
“The annual Maryland Craft Beer Festival is always a great event for the Brewers Association of Maryland,” says Abby Casarella, Director of Events at BAM. “We’re saddened that we aren’t able to gather in Frederick for this year’s celebration but we’re excited to try this “build your own” model.”
From Saturday, May 8 through Sunday, May 16, craft beer drinkers are encouraged to explore the diversity of brewery experiences and taste the different styles of high-quality beer being produced throughout the state. Many breweries will be highlighting new product releases, showcasing live music, and hosting food trucks during the week.
In an effort to recoup some loss of fundraising revenue from ticket sales, BAM worked with local artists to create unique commemorative posters that include the names of each of the organization’s current members. Starting on May 8, these posters will be available for purchase on BAM’s website and all proceeds directly benefit the mission of the Brewers Association of Maryland and its member breweries. Additionally, supporters who purchase these posters will be included in a drawing for a merchandise pack and high-tier passes to upcoming BAM events.
“Maryland beer drinkers have nearly 100 unique opportunities to explore our state’s beer when they visit these breweries,” said Kevin Atticks, Executive Director of BAM. “The experiences and variety of beers that our fans will enjoy while building their own celebrations will reaffirm that Maryland is producing amazing beer.”
A compiled list of events and releases happening during the 2021 Build Your Own Maryland Craft Beer Festival can be found at the Brewers Association of Maryland website. The website also includes a listing of all of the association’s member breweries and an up-to-date map highlighting Maryland’s brewery locations. For more information, or to purchase “BYO” commemorative posters, visit http://marylandbeer.org.
About the Brewers Association of Maryland
The Brewers Association of Maryland, founded in 1996, is the non-profit trade association of Maryland brewing companies. The mission of BAM is to grow, promote, and protect the Maryland craft beer industry. Representing 111 licensed, operating Maryland breweries, the Brewers Association of Maryland is committed to producing memorable beer experiences for craft beer consumers. Events produced and promoted by the Brewers Association of Maryland are fundraisers, directly benefiting the State’s craft brewing industry.
