It’s fall, y’all! SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment is ready to get into the fall season the best way they know how – with a variety of food and beverage selections. Later this month, SeaWorld Orlando will be host to its annual Beer Fest, and Busch Gardens Tampa will host its fourth annual Bier Fest. Both festivals are included with park admission and feature 20 stations throughout each park. While there is some overlap between the two festivals, they are distinct in their own ways. We’ll outline the details for you here!
SeaWorld Orlando – Beer Fest
When is Beer Fest at SeaWorld Orlando?
August 13 – September 12 Extended through October 31!
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (and Labor Day, September 6). On Fridays, the event starts at 3 PM and goes until the park closes, and on weekend days (and Labor Day), Beer Fest starts at 11:30 AM and goes until the park closes. The first few weekends of Beer Fest overlap with the Electric Ocean Festival, and the last weekends align with the park’s Halloween festivities – so those might be choice times to go!
What is Beer Fest at SeaWorld Orlando?
Beer Fest is an annual festival included with park admission at SeaWorld Orlando. This year, the festival will host over 100 craft beers, wine, seltzers, and cocktails, with select stations pairing more than 20 food items with their beverages. Of course, entertainment will also be provided throughout the park to keep the party going. Here is an overview of the festival stations.
The stations marked with an asterisk (*) offer food options as well as beverages.
- Yuengling (Pottsville, PA) Welcome Center
- Big Storm Brewing Co. (Orlando, FL) at Seafire Grill
- South Beach Brewing (Miami, FL) & Suncreek Brewery (Clermont, FL) at Flamecraft Bar
- Ivanhoe Park Brewing Co. (Ivanhoe Park, FL) & Crooked Can Brewing Co. (Winter Garden, FL)
- Vermont Cider Co. at Café de Mar* (Middlebury, VT)
- Brews & Chews featuring Funky Buddha Brewery* (Oakland Park, FL)
- JDub’s Brewing Co. (Sarasota, FL) at Voyager’s Smokehouse
- Wicked Weed Brewing* (Asheville, NC)
- Persimmon Hollow Brewing Co. (Deland, FL) at Lakeside Grill
- Kraft Heinz & Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.* (Chico, CA)
- Cigar City Snacks* (Tampa, FL)
- Woodford Reserve Bourbon (Versailles, KY) The Bar at Sharks Underwater Grill
- Jack Daniel’s (Lynchburg, TN) Whiskey Hut
- Sam Adams (Boston, MA) Boston Brewery Best Bites*
- Orange Blossom Brewing Co. (Orlando, FL) & Sailfish Brewing (Fort Pierce) at Waterway Bar
- Florida Ave. Brewing Co. (Tampa, FL) & 3 Daughters Brewing at Mama’s Pretzel Kitchen*
- New Holland Brewing* (Holland, MI)
- Beer Garden featuring Tito’s Handmade Vodka (Austin, TX) & Motorworks Brewing (Orlando, FL)
- Elysian Brewing at Glacier Bar (Seattle, WA)
- Alcatraz Brewing Co. at Captain Pete’s Island Hot Dogs* (Palm Coast, FL)
If that menu looks good to you, you’re not alone. Luckily, guests have the option to purchase a sampling lanyard so you can get good bang for your buck. With your lanyard, you can go around to any of the festival stations and get a sample-sized taste of food or drink. It’s a decent deal – a lanyard for 12 samples costs only $65 ($5.40 per sample), and a lanyard for 8 samples costs $50 ($6.25 per sample). Using a lanyard is a great way to be sure you get to taste everything you want to before getting too full, or having one too many. If you decide that you don’t want to use all your tastings, that’s okay too. Your lanyard is valid at any festival station throughout the duration of Beer Fest.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay – Bier Fest
When is Bier Fest at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay?
August 13 – October 31
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (and Labor Day, September 6). Since Busch Gardens is also hosting Howl-O-Scream, the Bier Fest schedule varies month to month.
August: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (12 PM – 10 PM)
September: Labor Day weekend (12 PM – 10 PM)
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays after Labor Day (12 PM – 6 PM)
October: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (12 PM – 6 PM)
What is Bier Fest at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay?
Bier Fest an annual festival included with park admission at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. In its fourth year, the festival will host a number of craft beers, wine, seltzers, and cocktails paired with unique food items at select stations. Most of these food items fall on the sweeter side of things, which contrasts with the savory options widely available at SeaWorld Orlando. On top of viewing the animal enclosures, experiencing the rollercoasters, and enjoying the shows, guests will also be provided with festival-exclusive entertainment. Listed below is an overview of the festival stations.
Those stations marked with an asterisk (*) offer food options as well as beverages.
- Florida Avenue Brewing (Wesley Chapel, FL)
- Cigar City Brewing (Tampa, FL)
- Yuengling on Tap (Pottsville, PA)
- Brews & Chews featuring Funky Buddha Brewery* (Oakland Park, FL)
- Pub Grub featuring Alcatraz Brewing* (Palm Coast, FL)
- Pub Grub featuring New Holland Brewing Co.* (Holland, MI)
- Sam Adams Bites* (Boston, MA)
- Garden Gate featuring Anheuser-Busch* (St. Louis, MO)
- Woodford Reserve Bourbon tasting (Versailles, KY)
- Xcursions – Mimosa & Sangria*
- Xcursions on the Vine
- Jack Daniel’s (Lynchburg, TN) Whiskey Hut*
- Big Storm Brewing Co. (Clearwater, FL)
- Kraft Heinz & Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.* (Chico, CA)
- Twisted Tails featuring Dogfish Head Craft Brewery* (Milton, DE)
- Dragon Fire Grill featuring 3 Daughters Brewing (St. Petersburg, FL)
- Dragon Fire Grill bar featuring assorted Bud Light Seltzer
- Zambia Smokehouse featuring Elysian Brewing (Seattle, WA)
- Giraffe Bar featuring Motorworks Brewing (Bradenton, FL)
- Serengeti Overlook Bar featuring Coppertail Brewing (Tampa, FL)
Like at Beer Fest at SeaWorld Orlando, guests can purchase a sampling lanyard to experience Bier Fest to the fullest. An 8-item sampler costs $49.99 ($6.25 per sample) and a 12-item sampler will run you $64.99 ($5.40 per sample). The lanyard will remain valid throughout beer fest at any festival station for you to redeem your tasting item. Don’t miss out on these festivals – they’re the perfect way to welcome fall and experience the parks like never before!
What do you think of these festivals? You can share your love for all things SeaWorld Orlando with other die-hard vacation-planners in our newly formed SeaWorld Community on Facebook.
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