Snallygaster: A Great Day for Beer
I first learned about Snallygaster when talking with Garrett Chambers at Cushwa Brewing back in 2021. I had mentioned how much I enjoyed the SAVOR event hosted by the Brewers Association. He said Snallygaster was even better. How was I never aware of it?
I didn’t make it to the 2021 or 2022 event, but I made the 2023 event a priority on my calendar.
I was blown away.
Again, I went to the 2024 event and invited a beer buddy along. At these large events, it's easy to get lost in the multitude of breweries and beer options. So we went in with a plan — we were going to focus on barrel-aged stouts. And there were many to choose from.
That plan worked out well. Except when I wanted to circle back and try the high-end Belgian beers offered at Cantillon and 3 Fonteinen, they were gone.
I didn’t make it to the 2025 Snallygaster. I had an opportunity to go to Oktoberfest in Munich. And, as a beer writer and confirmed beer geek, I couldn’t pass that up.
But I’ll be there in 2026!
“Named for the fearsome and toothy mythical beast said to terrorize the region at the turn of the century, Snallygaster is a celebration of craft beer, fine food, music and more. ”
What is Snallygaster?
Named for the fearsome and toothy mythical beast said to terrorize the region at the turn of the century, Snallygaster is a celebration of craft beer, fine food, music and more. For one day and one day only, the Neighborhood Restaurant Group simultaneously unleashes hundreds of incomparable beers, ciders, wines and cocktails alongside the best of the best in food vendors, music, entertainment and family fun. Washington City Paper readers have deemed Snallygaster, “The Best Beer Festival in DC” annually for nearly a decade.
Why You Should Go
As with years prior, ticket sales will benefit Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a more equitable and sustainable local food system in the Washington, D.C. area. The brainchild of Neighborhood Restaurant Group Founder Michael Babin, Arcadia has a production and demonstration farm, a program to train military veterans to be farmers, field trips and farm camp for school children, and a Mobile Market program that sells affordable, convenient high-quality food in low-income, low-food access neighborhoods. Snallygaster is the nonprofit’s largest annual fundraising event.
The Beer
Okay, there are many reasons to go to Snallygaster. But ultimately, we are interested in the beer. The graphic below displays the breweries that will be in attendance, and you can download the entire list of breweries, beers, food, and music.
You'll definitely find your favorites, and a few that caught my attention this year include Cantillon, 3 Fonteinen, Burial, Fidens, Fonta Flora, Messorem, The Answer, Xül, and Trillium.
Plus, several Maryland breweries will be pouring, including Burnish, Crooked Crab, Kushwa Franklin's, RaR, Sapwood Cellars, and Silver Branch.
Some Useful Information
Tickets
The Kraken pass is $75 per guest and grants entry to the festival at 2:00 p.m. along with a commemorative tasting glass and unlimited beer, cider, wine, and cocktail tastings all day long. The Basilisk pass is $150 per guest and allows entry at 12:00 p.m. for two hours of early and unlimited access to all the beers, ciders, wines, and cocktails along with the commemorative tasting glass. This exclusive ticket is in limited supply and is key to enjoying the rarest selections that may run out prior to the official 2:00 p.m. start time. The Basilisk pass also permits access to VIP amenities (including private bathrooms and shaded seating areas).
Both tickets will go on sale at SnallygasterDC.com starting Tuesday, July 7th, at 10:00 a.m., and we encourage purchasing early as this event will sell out (and no additional tickets will be available at the door). Food and merchandise will be priced individually during the event and are not included with the price of either pass.
“we strongly discourage driving to the event – for many reasons, not the least of which is that there truly is no parking to be had. Instead, take the metro, grab a cab or use a ride share.”
Getting There
Here is what Snallygaster recommends: With the Capitol building as our backdrop, Snallygaster lives smack dab in the heart and hubbub of DC on Pennsylvania Ave NW between 3rd & 7th – a location that provides a huge footprint to allow for fewer, quicker lines along with plentiful seating, shaded areas, restroom access and room to roam. As always, we strongly discourage driving to the event – for many reasons, not the least of which is that there truly is no parking to be had. Instead, take the metro, grab a cab or use a ride share. You’ll be glad you did.
