Nationals Park trades baseball for beer this Saturday as DC Beer Fest returns for its fall edition, pouring samples from more than 80 craft breweries across two separate sessions. General admission runs $55 and includes unlimited tastings, with doors split into a noon-to-3 p.m. slot and a second session later in the day.
The festival is billed as a biannual fall celebration at the ballpark, according to FOX 5 DC, which reports the lineup includes more than 200 craft beers and over 80 breweries. The event's official site, meanwhile, advertises unlimited samples from more than 80 breweries without specifying an exact beer count, while the Washington Nationals ticketing page lists the lineup at 200 beers. The exact tally varies depending on which source you check, but the scale of the tasting lineup is consistent across all three.
El Tiempo Latino, which first detailed the schedule, reports the festival takes place this Saturday, November 7, at Nationals Park, with the first of two sessions running from noon to 3 p.m. The outlet adds that the $55 general admission ticket includes a commemorative tasting glass good for continuous beer sampling throughout each three-hour session, per El Tiempo Latino.
What's Included Beyond the Beer
General admission covers more than just sampling. The DC Beer Festival's official site says tickets include unlimited samples, live music and a dueling piano bar, though food is sold separately. El Tiempo Latino reports the festival will also feature a dozen food trucks and local restaurant stands, with food purchased on-site rather than bundled into the ticket price.
Attendees should plan to eat elsewhere in the ballpark or budget separately for the trucks, since the samples themselves won't fill a meal. The food truck setup adds a practical, DC-flavored layer to what is otherwise a straightforward tasting event built around variety rather than sit-down dining.
Age Rules and Rain-or-Shine Policy
The festival is strictly 21 and older. The official site's FAQ states that everyone attending must be 21 and over, and that no infants or toddlers will be admitted, a policy that applies across both sessions regardless of weather.
Speaking of weather, organizers aren't offering a rain date. The event's FAQ confirms it will take place rain or shine, so ticket holders should dress for whatever Saturday brings rather than count on a postponement.
Getting There and Parking Costs
For drivers, parking is available at Lot C for $35, with the FAQ noting that the lot accepts credit cards only. Given that DC Beer Fest draws attendees across two separate time slots, arriving early for whichever session you've booked is worth factoring into travel plans, especially with ballpark lots filling up on event days.
Whether the lineup tops out closer to 80 breweries or stretches into the 200-beer range cited by different sources, Saturday's gathering gives Nationals Park a very different kind of crowd than its usual summer slate, swapping foul balls for flights of seasonal brews.
