Bend Brewfest called off for 2023; organizers will await return to Hayden Homes Amphitheater

Third phase of upgrades planned at venue

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Bend Brewfest, the second-largest craft beer festival in the Pacific Northwest, has been called off for this summer and postponed until it can return to the Hayden Homes Amphitheater, organizers said Friday.

The Brewfest, held annually at the amphitheater before the COVID-19 pandemic, returned last spring on the east side of the Deschutes River in the Old Mill District, as portions of the music venue were under construction.

While the festival was successful in its new location and raised more than $15,000 for the Latino Community Association, Northwest Youth Discovery, Bend Fire Community Assistance Program, and Out Central Oregon, organizers have opted to pause the event until it can return to Hayden Homes Amphitheater, which is set for a third phase of upgrades this winter and spring.

“We loved the turnout last year and are so thankful we could all get back together again,” said Bend Brewfest Marketing Director Beau Eastes. “But to be able to put on the kind of brew festival guests want, we need to wait until it can return to the amphitheater.”

The 2022 Bend Brewfest was held May 13-14 on the east side of the Deschutes River in the Old Mill District. More than 65 breweries and cideries poured approximately 100 different craft beers and ciders as the 2022 festival, which drew more than 10,000 beer lovers from across the Pacific Northwest. The 2022 Bend Brewfest was the first year the festival was staged in May after nearly two decades of being held in late August.

Bend’s Spider City Brewing and its Deer Garden Hazy IPA won Best Local Beer at the 2022 Bend Brewfest. Great Notion Brewing out of Portland took home top honors for a brewery outside of Central Oregon with its Bicycle Day fruited sour. And Eugene’s Cyderish and its B.O.M.B. Cider – Boring Old Mango Brew – won the top prize for best cider.

Since its inception in 2002, the Bend Brewfest has given more than $100,000 to local non-profit organizations.

The announcement comes a week after organizers of the Oregon Brewers Festival announced that event also is off for 2023, citing several reasons, including low attendance at last year's return, higher costs and extreme weather.

Bend Brewfest

Founded in 2002, the Bend Brewfest annually showcases the most creative and innovative craft breweries in the Pacific Northwest in a gorgeous setting along the banks of the Deschutes River in the Old Mill District. The Bend Brewfest has become known as an event where brewers can highlight their specialty, hard-to-find brews on the festival’s X-Taps. Find more information at BendBrewfest.com.