In 2005, a modest gathering called Ale Fest — the first edition of what was to grow into the San Antonio Beer Festival — took place in Hemisfair Park.
In the two decades since, both the sudsy celebration and Hemisfair have morphed into something much greater — and the two will reunite this fall as the San Antonio Beer Festival moves back to the historic downtown public space.
“The event has evolved over 20 years,” said festival organizer Cassandra Wagner of the San Antonio Current. “We’ve grown the festival, hosted at various parks around the city. Now we’re delighted to come back to Hemisfair after the expansion of this world-class parks district.”
Officials from the Current, Hemisfair and the San Antonio Food Bank made the announcement of the new venue Wednesday at Civic Park, which includes large open spaces inside Hemisfair. Wagner said her organization’s had an eye on returning to Hemisfair for several years and was happy the completion of the space to host the fest coincided with its 20th anniversary.
Wagner said the event, which took place in Crockett Park for the past several years, has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the San Antonio Food Bank and helped provide significant media exposure to aid the nonprofit’s fundraising.
The theme for the Saturday, Oct. 18, gathering is Oktoberfest, which celebrates the history of its new location. A neighborhood rich with German heritage was located on the site before the 1968 World’s Fair transformed it into Hemisfair. The German Pavilion erected for that event honored that aspect of the neighborhood’s history.
German food and activities such as a stein-holding contest will be a big part of this year’s San Antonio Beer Festival. Keeping with that theme, Wednesday’s announcement was accompanied by oompah tunes from San Antonio musical group the Tubameisters.
“My grandfather taught me that beer and food go together,” said Michael Guerra, chief sustainability officer of the San Antonio Food Bank and the grandson of a Pearl Brewery brewmaster.
The 2025 festival will support the Food Bank’s ability to withstand economic hardships that could be headed our way, Guerra added. During such downturns, there are fewer donations to the organization, even as more San Antonio-area residents seek help finding sustenance.
“We are expecting the food system to tighten in the current situation,” Guerra added.
Wagner said this year’s festival will feature hundreds of beers, seltzers and near beers. The offerings will include more choices to reflect drinking preferences of various generations, including members of Gen Z, who frequently seek alternative beverage choices such as low- and no-alcohol drinks.
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This article appears in Mar 5-18, 2025.