Charlotte Craft Beer Week is in full swing this week, with nearly 60 breweries, restaurants, taprooms, bottle shops and distilleries across the region hosting more than 80 events through October 25. The 10-day celebration includes specialty beer releases, beer pairings and neighborhood crawls, and it closes out Sunday with a schedule still packed with things to do.
The event, which runs October 16 through 25, brings together breweries, taprooms, restaurants and beer lovers across Charlotte, according to Charlotte's Got A Lot. The lineup of nearly 60 participating businesses hosting more than 80 events was confirmed by The Charlotte Weekly, which detailed beer pairings, releases and crawls filling out the week. A free Charlotte Craft Beer Passport lets attendees check in at participating locations, earn points and redeem prizes, including a limited-edition Charlotte-branded long-sleeve shirt, per WCNC.
A Free Passport With Real Perks
The passport system is built to reward exploration. The passport offers prizes, including a limited-edition Charlotte-branded long-sleeve shirt. Organizers describe the passport as a free mobile guide that lets visitors check in as they move between breweries and events, racking up points along the way.
Charlotte Craft Beer Week also provides an online hub listing events, participating locations and passport details, making it easier for first-timers to plan a route through the city's beer scene. The event showcases the people and businesses behind the local craft beer industry, celebrating local breweries, beers and the community around them.
A Beer Named In Memory Of A Local Brewer
Today, Birdsong Brewing Co. is hosting one of the week's more personal gatherings: a 6 p.m. event called Cosmic Ballet Returns: A Toast to Dan Wade, according to The Charlotte Weekly.
According to Spectrum News 1, proceeds from each glass of Cosmic Ballet sold at Wooden Robot Brewery went toward the fundraiser. The Dan Wade Memorial Scholarship was established by Wade's family and friends to give aspiring brewers access to education and training they might not otherwise afford. The scholarship's own website states its first recipient was set to attend Appalachian State University's Brewing Short Course in the summer of 2026.
A Tougher Climate For North Carolina Breweries
The celebration arrives as the state's craft beer industry navigates real headwinds. North Carolina is home to more than 400 craft breweries, which together generated an economic impact of more than $2.2 billion in 2024, according to Axios Raleigh. But beer sales statewide dropped 9.7% overall between 2021 and 2025, and 21 breweries closed their doors last year alone, Axios reported. Beginning in 2024, more North Carolina breweries began closing than opening, a shift the outlet described as a marked turn for an industry that spent years expanding.
Charlotte itself remains a hub within that landscape, boasting more than 60 craft breweries with even more scattered through the surrounding region, according to Charlotte's Got A Lot's event toolkit. The same source notes that 40% of visitors rate craft beer as a travel motivator, and 73% agree Charlotte is a great city for craft beer — numbers organizers point to as evidence the week's mix of releases, crawls and community fundraisers still has pull even as the broader industry tightens its belt.
