Tickets are on sale for the 13th annual Tumwater Artesian Brewfest, with more than 50 craft beverage vendors set to pour on the driving range of Tumwater Valley Golf Course on Saturday, Aug. 15.
The 21-and-over festival runs from 1 to 7 p.m. at 4611 Tumwater Valley Drive SE, on more than 10 acres of flat grass in the shadow of the former Olympia Brewery. General admission tickets start at $45 and include six tastes and a souvenir glass, according to The Chronicle.
VIP admission is $100 and includes 20 tastes, a glass and a swag bag. Day-of admission is $20. Tickets are available at tumwaterartesianbrewfest.com.
Food vendors include Voodoo Box, Saxy Chef and Banh, according to the event's Instagram page. Live music and larger-than-life lawn games are also on the schedule.
Proceeds support local causes connected to the Olympia Tumwater Foundation, the nonprofit that owns and maintains Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls. Founded in 1950 with roots in the Schmidt family and the Olympia Brewing Company, the foundation has awarded more than $2.5 million in scholarships to Thurston County high school seniors since 1967. Brewery Park logged more than 271,000 visits in 2025, according to the foundation's website, and operates without ongoing government funding.
The Brewfest traces its identity to Tumwater's brewing roots. German brewmaster Leopold Schmidt chose the site at the foot of Tumwater Falls for his brewery in 1895, and the Old Brewhouse went up in 1906, according to the city of Tumwater. That history connects to a growing craft-beverage scene: South Puget Sound Community College runs its Craft Brewing & Distilling program in the Tumwater Craft District, where students produce Percival Creek beer and cider sold commercially.
The festival has grown steadily. In 2023, the event drew approximately 4,200 attendees, a 19% jump over the prior year, with 40 brewers, 12 cider makers and two distillers pouring, according to city tourism records.
That year's profits sent roughly $4,000 to Thurston County Special Olympics and $1,000 to the Tumwater Valley Panthers Special Olympics Golf Team.
Tumwater Parks and Recreation Director Chuck Denney described the Brewfest's purpose at a September 2023 lodging-tax committee meeting: "For us, it's an opportunity to bring together a variety of partners and host a fantastic community event."
Parking is available at the old Olympia Brewing lot, accessible via E Street.







