THE HAWKEYE STATE / FESTIVAL FIELD GUIDE
Iowa beer
festivals.
Make a weekend.
Ten Iowa beer festival and Oktoberfest destinations, from winter tastings and Clear Lake pours to brewery grounds, museum evenings, and neighborhood celebrations. Choose a region, check the edition, and make room for Iowa beyond the tasting glass.
IOWABEER FESTIVALS
Prairie roads.
Local pours.FOLLOW A FESTIVAL. EXPLORE A LITTLE.
CURRENT & UPCOMING EDITIONS
Dubuque On Ice announces February 13, 2027, and Brews on the Beach has a July 10, 2027 save-the-date. Other profiles show completed editions to watch.
Pick a place. Find your next favorite.
01 / PICK YOUR PART OF THE STATE
Start close.
Keep exploring.
Choose a regional starting point, then compare the format. A brewery tasting, a beer garden, and a food-first celebration make different kinds of weekends.
2 FESTIVAL PICKS
Des Moines / Ankeny
The Guild’s statewide tasting at Water Works Park and Original Oktoberfest’s Ankeny celebration.
Explore this region ↗2 FESTIVAL PICKS
Coralville / Iowa City
Indoor winter pours at BrrrFest and Northside’s beer tasting, Bier Hall, and SodaFest.
Explore this region ↗3 FESTIVAL PICKS
Cedar Rapids / Marion / Amana
Millstream’s brewery bash, BrewNost’s food-and-beverage evening, and Marion’s street tasting.
Explore this region ↗1 FESTIVAL PICK
Dubuque / Mississippi River
Dubuque On Ice’s winter craft-beverage fundraiser at Five Flags Center.
Explore this region ↗1 FESTIVAL PICK
Clear Lake / North Iowa
Brews on the Beach’s Iowa brewery gathering beside Clear Lake.
Explore this region ↗1 FESTIVAL PICK
Sioux City / Siouxland
Steins & Vines’ indoor beer, wine, and cider tasting in Sioux City.
Explore this region ↗This is a destination guide with the last verified edition shown when a new date is unannounced. Some picks are broader craft-beverage or heritage celebrations with beer at their center. Pair the shortlist with our Iowa brewery guide and Iowa beer roundup.
02 / DATES WITH THE YEAR ATTACHED
What is on
the calendar?
Announced future editions and completed editions to watch. Every date belongs to the stated year; old ticket links do not become new festival dates.
Organizer and official destination announcements checked October 12, 2026. Packages, venues, and dates can change. Confirm the current edition before buying or booking.
Clear Lake has a 2027 save-the-date.
July 10, 2027 is explicitly posted, but other sections still describe July 11, 2026. Confirm the new package rather than carrying last year’s hours, prices, or lineup forward.
Read the Clear Lake date check ↗Original Oktoberfest’s location is Ankeny.
The completed September 25–26, 2026 event used The District at Prairie Trail. It is a separate celebration from the Biergarten Oktoberfest at Water Works Park.
Check the Ankeny celebration ↗Northside has separate drink packages.
The BrewFest ticket covered brewery samples. The Bier Hall mug allowed separately purchased drinks into the street, while SodaFest offered its own family soda experience.
Compare the Northside formats ↗