Burp Fest at Indiana Brewers Guild Summerfest 2026

When the Brewers of Indiana Guild was formally organized in 2000, the state's craft beer scene was still in its infancy. But the annual summer beer festival that would eventually become Summerfest had already been running for two years, dating back to 1998 as the Indiana Microbrewers Festival. What started as a modest gathering of the state's handful of craft brewers has grown alongside Indiana's booming beer industry into the largest celebration of Hoosier brewing, now featuring two dozen-plus breweries pouring over 150 different beverages every July.

The move to Victory Field gave the festival a character all its own. Instead of the generic convention center or parking lot setting that plagues so many beer festivals, Summerfest sprawls across the concourse and grounds of a professional baseball stadium in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. Attendees sample Indiana-brewed IPAs and lagers while wandering past the diamond, taking in the skyline, and joining on-field games and activities. The addition of the MVP Barrel Suite in recent years created a premium tier for serious craft beer enthusiasts, offering exclusive access to barrel-aged and limited-release selections in a dedicated lounge.

What sets Summerfest apart from the crowded calendar of Midwestern beer festivals is its strict Indiana-only policy. Every drop poured comes from a Hoosier brewery, making the event both a showcase and a fundraiser for the Guild that advocates for the state's craft producers. In a state where the number of independent breweries has exploded over the past decade, Summerfest serves as the annual family reunion -- a single afternoon where the entire Indiana craft beer community comes together under open skies to celebrate what they have built.