Burp Fest at Milwaukee Brew & Spirits Fest 2026

In a city that calls itself Brew City with zero irony, the Milwaukee Brew & Spirits Fest has carved out its own identity on the lakefront since roughly 2010. Held at McKinley Park — a green space whose history stretches back to 1888, when it was known as Flushing Tunnel Park — the festival taps into Milwaukee's brewing heritage while looking forward. The event celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2019, and over the years it has evolved from a straightforward beer festival into a broader craft beverage celebration that now includes craft cocktails, hard seltzers, and THC beverages, reflecting how the industry itself has expanded beyond the pint glass.

What makes this festival feel distinctly Milwaukee is the combination of setting and mission. McKinley Park sits on the Lake Michigan shoreline along Lincoln Memorial Drive, and the tented festival grounds offer sweeping water views that rival any lakefront event in the Midwest. A portion of proceeds benefits the Museum of Beer and Brewing, a nonprofit organization founded in 2000 at Lakefront Brewery that is dedicated to preserving Milwaukee's extraordinary brewing history — a city that was once home to Schlitz, Pabst, Miller, and Blatz all at the same time. The museum opened its first permanent physical location within the Lincoln Warehouse in 2024, and the Brew Fest's support has helped make that possible. For a single summer Saturday in July, the festival distills everything Milwaukee does best: great beer, a gorgeous lakefront, and a deep respect for the brewing traditions that built the city.