Looking for a wild weekend? Philadelphia’s largest beer festival returns this summer with more than 100 award-winning brews — from craft beers to ciders, hard teas and seltzers — and tons of delicious food and live music to enjoy throughout.
Taking place Saturday, July 19, from 7 to 10 p.m., this event lets guests sample a huge variety of brews scattered throughout the venue, while sipping with snow leopards, partying with pumas, and toasting with tortoises estimated to be around 100-plus years old.
“Summer Ale Festival has become one of the must-attend events of summer in Philadelphia,” said Vice President of Marketing and Communications Patrick McMaster. “This year, we’re really revving up the party atmosphere with a brand-new lineup of musical performances on Impala Stage, as well as DJs around the Zoo. Plus, we’ll have the best the region has to offer in local beverages and food, but most important of all, every ticket sale directly supports the care of the Zoo’s 1,900 animals.”
This festival features complimentary parking, free shuttle service for guests from 30th Street Station, a signature souvenir tasting cup, award-winning craft beers, seltzers and ciders, a wide variety of food trucks, live music zones throughout the Zoo, and access to the Zoo’s 42-acre campus to visit select animal exhibits.
The 21-plus only event features plenty of local popular brews, including samples from Evil Genius, Yards, Two Roads, Yuengling, Iron Hill, and more, plus non-beer beverages, including Stateside Vodka, Angry Orchard Cider, Sea Isle Ice Tea, and more. Guests can also enjoy food trucks found throughout the park, including Bacon on a Stick, Chickie’s & Pete’s, Many Hands Coffee, The Little Sicilian, and much more.
Hitting the Impala stage while guests enjoy the brews and bites of the festival will be Ridge Runners, Kind Hearted Strangers, and Nik Greeley and the Operators Bird Lake Plaza while over at Bird Lake Plaza, DJ Quigs will perform (with a nearby photo booth), and finally, DJ Corey will perform at the Backyard Kitchen.
Tickets to the Summer Ale Festival are $99 for early admission, $84 for general admission, and $45 for non-drinkers. To purchase tickets, guests must visit the Zoo’s website; they will not be available for purchase at the door. Taps close 30 minutes before the event ends, and this is a rain-or-shine event.
To learn more information about Summer Ale Fest and other events at the Philadelphia Zoo, visit PhiladelphiaZoo.org
