Great Lakes Beer Festival Continues Its Run at Dow Diamond in Midland

There are a lot of beer festivals in Michigan, but there’s only one Great Lakes Beer Festival, an annual celebration of the craft beer community that takes place at beautiful Dow Diamond.

The Midland ballpark, home of the minor league baseball team The Great Lakes Loons, has proven to be a grand slam as a venue for patrons to sample homegrown libations from some of the finest breweries and distilleries this thirsty state has to offer.  This year’s fourth annual extravaganza, to take place on Saturday, August 16, 2025, from 2-7 p.m., will also feature some of the Great Lakes Bay Region’s most notable musical acts: Air Margaritaville and Fröhliche Musiker Blasorchester or FMB.

There is just something special about enjoying music, food and a quality beverage on a sunny summer day at a minor league baseball stadium with big league amenities. If you’re a festival lover, would you rather swelter inside a crammed beer tent or on a dusty dry field or make your way around the well-appointed Dow Diamond? Plus, patrons don’t have to stand in line in a parking lot or field waiting for a Porta-Potty to become available.

“Dow Diamond is the perfect venue,” said Ed Fritz, Great Lakes Beer Festival Event Director. “The breweries are set up on the concourses, the patrons have relief from the sun, and there’s no worry of a rainout. The Great Lakes Beer Festival provides the unique opportunity to go down on the field where attendees can play some cornhole, fowling or other lawn games.”

An impressive starting lineup of more than 70 breweries, distilleries, cideries and meaderies are expected to be on tap this year. Michigan ranks among the top in the nation for number of breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, but our story transcends sheer numbers. It’s the talented and eclectic collection of artisans, many of whom bailed on successful and lucrative careers in other fields, to follow their passion for brewing and distilling, that make our industry the blossoming economic and social engine that it is.

“We’ll have breweries from all over the state, each with their own unique story behind them and quality beverages in front of them,”: Fritz said. “It’s truly a celebration of an industry that continues to be a part of our state’s economic renaissance.”

Beers may be the headliner (it is a beer festival after all), but there is an added sense of excitement this year because of the continued growth of the annual festival.

“Last year we added food trucks into the mix and it was a huge hit. This year, the food trucks are back with some unique food offerings and, of course, we have the VIP option to eat the catered buffet in the luxury suite level at the stadium,” Fritz notes. “The VIP option is really the way to go. Those ticket holders can get in an hour early, use the VIP parking lot, eat the catered buffet and enjoy air conditioning comfort throughout the event by going upstairs at Dow Diamond.”

Air Margaritaville is the premier musical tribute to Jimmy Buffett, performing for thousands of Parrotheads from Minnesota to Florida over the past 20 years.

Air Margaritaville will be performing at the 2025 Great Lakes Beer Festival

This 8-piece band includes steel drums, sax and harmonica and is a three-time Detroit Music Award nominee as “Outstanding Tribute Band”.  They have made numerous appearances on the Mitch Albom radio show and have opened for national acts like The Marshall Tucker Band.

Their shows take on the flavor of a carnival as people, dressed in their formal board short and finest flip-flops, take a break from the hassles of daily life, board a flying boat with this band of rogues, and hop from island to island bringing the party with them wherever they land.

FMB, meanwhile, is comprised of 14 amazing musicians from mid-Michigan.  They are a fun, high-energy polka band.  They wear full costumes for each performance and encourage lots of audience participation so everyone has a great time.

“We’re excited to have Air Margaritaville and FMB on this year’s lineup card. The atmosphere is going to be amazing”, said Fritz.

The Great Lakes Beer Festival will happen, rain or shine. All vendors are set up on the concourses out of the elements, meaning customers can sample their beverages out of the sun or rain as the case may be.

Patrons can save $10 on general admission tickets by purchasing them in advance.  There are VIP (advance purchase only) & Designated Driver ticket options. VIP includes a catered buffet in the suite level at Dow Diamond with air-conditioning and private bathrooms as part of the package.

More details at GreatLakesBeerFestival.com