Turning 21 is a rite of passage. For people, it often means your first legal toast; for festivals, it’s the perfect excuse to throw an even bigger party. This year, Elysian Brewing’s Great Pumpkin Beer Festival (GPBF) hits that milestone — and like any newly minted 21-year-old, it’s celebrating with a drink in hand and a crowd of friends.

On October 3 – 4, GPBF will spill out of the brewery at 1221 E Pike St, taking over part of 13th Avenue and Pike Street for a two-day street party that’s equal parts beer festival, costume parade, and autumn fever dream. It’s the first time in more than a decade the festival’s been back on the Hill, and honestly, we’re here for the throwback.

If you’ve only attended the festival in recent years at Seattle Center, you know the drill: The beers and ciders from some of the best brewers in Seattle and beyond are the main event, but the costumes that fest goers break out are not to be missed. From creepy to campy to full-blown couture, fest attendees go all-out with their Halloween fits, making GPBF as much a people-watching spectacle as it is a beer event. 

We’ve hit up plenty of GPBFs at Seattle Center over the years, chasing down pours of pumpkin-tinged ales, and gathering with the crowd for that big moment when the massive gourd gets tapped while a brass band whips up the crowd into a Midsommer-like vibe. Now, take all that – 60-plus pumpkin and fall-inspired beers, live music, over-the-top costumes, some pumpkin pie – and drop it right into the middle of Capitol Hill. It’s going to be tight, loud, and a little unruly, in the best possible way. Exactly what you want from a festival that’s finally “legal.” Trust us, this is not your father’s beer tasting event.

This year, tickets come in a few flavors: a 2-day pass ($100 plus fees) with 5 drink tickets and an exclusive pumpkin beer keychain, single-day tickets ($40 plus fees) for Friday or Saturday that includes 5 drink tickets, and designated driver passes ($5 plus fees) for your saintly friends. But fair warning – GPBF sells out fast every year. If you think you can just show up in October and waltz in, think again. Tickets are currently up for grabs at: www.elysianbrewing.com/gpbf

If you can’t wait until October to get your fall fix of spice-laced pumpkin beers, you can always check out Elysian’s Night Owl (one of our faves), Punkuccino, and Great Pumpkin currently on tap at their Capitol Hill pub and on beer shelves, ready to tide you over until GPBF. 

Stay tuned for the full beer line-up in the coming weeks.