How to Plan a Beer Festival in 5 Steps
-
by
Riley Manning has worked as a travel and entertainment writer for more than 10 years. Today, he writes about unique events and the technology that helps make them happen.
As local craft breweries rise in popularity nationwide, many festivals have cropped up to showcase the wide variety of ales available to beer enthusiasts. If you’re wondering how to start your own beer festival, it can be overwhelming figuring out where to begin.
Festival software can help you easily plan and execute a fun and successful beer festival for the brew-loving adults in your area. Below we break down how to plan a beer festival in five easy steps.
The 5 Steps:
- Start with the Basics
- Select an Event Ticketing Platform
- Promote Your Event
- Consider the Logistics
- Plan Your Next Event with SimpleTix
Start with the Basics
The Date
The festival’s date, length, and time serve as the foundation for your event and dictate its location, budget, and staff. Ensuring your festival is on a non-holiday weekend without any other events scheduled will give you the best chance for the biggest pool of attendees possible.
Consider the typical weather forecast when selecting a date as well. Should you choose an outdoor venue, temperature, precipitation, and wind will all affect the festival. Mild weather will attract more attendees and create a pleasant atmosphere to enjoy the beer offerings.
The Location
Location is everything. Since festival attendees will be milling about and sampling lots of brews, they’ll want an interesting and comfortable location to explore. Choosing a cool venue, either indoors or outdoors, will create the perfect atmosphere to enjoy the festival’s offerings.
Vendors and Entertainment
While the beer will be the main attraction, your event needs food, music, and activities to create the full festival experience. Start researching and contacting local musicians, restaurants, and artists to gauge their interest in enriching the festival with their talents and wares.
The Legalities
There are quite a few requirements to sell alcohol. Some of the most important parts of planning a beer festival are researching applicable laws, securing permits, and purchasing the proper insurance.
Each state and local government has its own specific requirements for organizations planning to throw festivals and sell alcohol. Reference the state directory here for a list of relevant contacts to help make your festival safe and compliant with local ordinances.
Select an Event Ticketing Platform
Once you’ve confirmed your date, venue, and permits, select festival software to promote your event, sell tickets, and get organized for your guests.
Selling Tickets Online
Advance online ticket sales are a great way to set up your festival for success. Selling tickets online lets you know how many guests to anticipate, and helps you forecast revenue and plan for the most challenging part of any well-appointed festival–logistics (restroom facilities, parking, security, etc.) .
Good festival software equips you to create a simple website and easily sell tickets to prospective attendees; or, if you already have a website, it offers a widget that can be effortlessly inserted there.
When considering options for an event ticketing platform, many people first think of the ubiquitous Eventbrite. However, it can end up being an expensive hassle that causes more trouble than it’s worth. Research your options thoroughly, comparing pricing, features, and benefits.
Payments
An event ticketing platform with a Square integration ensures you can easily sell tickets at your festival gate to anyone who didn’t take advantage of online sales. Square facilitates quick and easy payments for a variety of payment types, accommodating more guests with no trouble at all.
Festival software that promises instant payouts makes planning your beer festival much easier. Some festival software holds your revenue for weeks after your event is over, which can make paying for permits, the venue, and performers frustrating.
Instant payouts mean you can fund the expenses for your festival as soon as you sell tickets, leaving you with less up-front, out-of-pocket expenses. Having your money available right away will make navigating how to plan a beer festival easier.
Flexibility
Festival software should provide you with the versatility that your unique beer festival needs.
Customizable ticket types, discounts, and bundles allow you to offer endless specialized tickets to your prospective attendees. Festival software should easily facilitate these at no extra cost. Offering a variety of ticket types and promo codes will encourage advanced ticket sales.
Timed entry ticketing can keep crowds smaller, creating a more manageable and safe environment for your staff and guests. Your festival software should offer this option, should you need or want to space out guests.
Promote Your Event
A festival needs a diverse crowd of people to fill out the space and create that unique festival energy. Promoting your event online and IRL gets the word out to the most people so you can foster that energy.
Social media is a great place to start spreading the word about your new beer festival. Your selected festival software should provide you with a QR code to direct traffic to your ticket website. It should also easily be distributed to vendors so they can promote the festival as well. Since QR code usage is increasing across age groups, it’s highly effective when used in event promotion.
Consider the Logistics
The day of the festival should go as smoothly as possible. With the right preparation, you can smoothly check guests in to create a great first impression as they arrive.
Consider the appropriate number of staff you will need to run your festival smoothly, from security and parking attendants, to maintenance crews and door staff. They should be properly oriented and trained before the event so they are knowledgeable and well-prepared to handle any situation that arises the day of the event.
Communicate with ticket holders in advance to let them know about any important FAQs, maps, or parking information. Your festival software should allow you to create and send mass emails to ticket holders before and after the event.
Plan Your Next Festival with SimpleTix
Now that you’ve learned how to plan a beer festival, you know effective festival software is the key to a successful event. From versatile payment gateways, to flexible ticket options, to simple communications with guests, your selected software should help carry out your festival throughout the process.
SimpleTix offers everything you need for your beer festival: instant payouts, a user-friendly website, and versatile payment options. With SimpleTix, you’ll spend less time and resources organizing and throwing your event.
SimpleTix has offered an affordable, premium event ticketing platform that outperforms Eventbrite and similar apps for over 12 years. Compared to the competition, SimpleTix offers better options at a better price point. To learn more, call us at +1 (855) 550-3670 or email us here.
Categories
Latest News
Related Articles
Best Eventbrite Alternatives: What to Look For
-
by
Handling ticket sales and managing events online should give organizers flexibility and control, but Eventbrite’s platform often comes with challenges that add unnecessary stress. High transaction fees, limited payout options, and restrictions on how organizers access customer data can make it difficult to manage events efficiently. These limitations can cut into revenue, delay cash flow, and complicate audience engagement. If these challenges sound familiar, it might be time to explore Eventbrite alternatives that offer lower costs, faster access to funds and full ownership of your customer data. Here’s a look at what features are available in alternatives to Eventbrite and how these options can give you more control over your events. Lower Fees for Greater Profit Margins Eventbrite charges between 6% and 8% on transactions, which can quickly eat into your earnings, especially for high-volume or larger-ticket events. If you’re organizing multiple events in a year or if you’re handling big-ticket sales, these fees add up, taking away from what you could reinvest into the event or keep as profit. Some alternative platforms offer lower transaction fees, usually around 2% to 5%, helping you retain more of each sale. Flat-rate subscription pricing is also available on some platforms, so instead of paying per ticket, you pay a predictable monthly or annual rate. This approach often makes more sense for organizers with recurring events, as it eliminates the cost-per-ticket markup and provides a clearer picture of costs each month. Faster Access to Funds for Improved Cash Flow Eventbrite’s payout schedule typically processes funds within 4-5 business days after an event. While this works for some, others need faster access to ticket revenue to cover ongoing expenses, secure venues, or fund last-minute promotions. Delays in cash flow can create unnecessary stress, especially for organizers managing multiple vendors or those handling events on...
Features Your Event Registration Software Should Have
-
by
Choosing the right event registration software impacts every aspect of your event - from how many people complete registration to your stress levels on event day. Here's what actually matters when managing events in the last 2 years - based on data from 10,000+ events. Smart Registration Forms That Convert Powerful registration forms deliver an exceptional first experience for your attendees. Modern event ticketing software with conditional logic automatically personalizes the registration journey—when a VIP ticket holder registers, they instantly see their exclusive session options and perks. This smart adaptation creates a clean, focused experience that drives registrations. Mobile registration dominates the event industry, with 68% of tickets purchased on phones. Top-tier registration software excels at mobile experiences, offering one-page checkout and automatic progress saving. Simpletix customers typically see 35% higher completion rates thanks to these mobile-optimized features. Key Conversion Features: Smart conditional logic Mobile-first design One-click checkout Automatic progress saving Custom branding options Seamless Payment Processing Advanced payment processing turns registration into a revenue engine. Modern event management software customer experience tools handle multiple payment methods smoothly while maintaining bank-grade security. For international events, supporting local payment methods can boost registration rates by 40%. Automated payment management saves time and reduces errors. The best registration platforms handle refunds automatically while maintaining detailed transaction records. They also generate professional invoices for corporate registrants instantly. Essential Payment Features: Multi-payment method support Automated refund handling Corporate invoice generation International payment options Real-time transaction reports Efficient Attendee Management Smart attendee management scales your events effortlessly. The best event registration softwares provide self-service portals where attendees can update their own information, reducing administrative time by 75%. Automated waitlist management instantly notifies and registers next-in-line attendees when spots become available. Corporate event registration and tradeshows become seamless with group management tools. Enable one person to...
Selling Event Tickets Online: Conversion Secrets from Top Organizers
-
by
Most event organizers wait for people to buy tickets, then panic when sales are low a week before the event. Sound familiar? In 2025, the smartest organizers aren't just hoping for sales – they're using specific strategies to sell event tickets online and fill seats early. The Three Windows That Matter Forget posting your event everywhere and hoping for sales. There are three specific times when people actually buy tickets: Tuesday lunch hour (12-2PM): When companies book team events. Corporate buyers convert at 34% during this window vs. 12% other times. After work (6-8PM): When friends plan nights out. Group purchases spike 3x during these hours. Sunday afternoon (2-5PM): When families plan their weekends. Family event tickets sell 4x faster during this window. Time your promotions for these windows, and you'll sell more tickets than blasting social media all day. Each window needs different messaging and payment options to maximize sales. Price Points That Actually Sells Event Tickets Online Stop copying other events' prices. Think of your pricing like a good menu - clear options without overwhelming choice. With ticketing made simple, sell tickets online with ease to streamline your sales strategy, making it easy to manage various ticket types. Start with early access tickets at a modest discount to reward your eager fans and build momentum. Your regular admission price sets the baseline. VIP tickets at premium prices create an exclusive tier that makes standard tickets feel more accessible. Add group rates for six or more to encourage larger parties. Resist the temptation to create complex tiers - they confuse buyers and actually hurt sales. Here's the pricing structure that consistently converts: Early access tickets at 15% off regular price (converts 28% of early viewers) Regular admission at your target price (baseline for comparison) VIP tickets at double your...