GOATFEST 2026 features an impressive lineup of breweries from across the Western US
Join Varietal Beer Co. and a select group of esteemed breweries for the Annual GOATFEST beer festival in Sunnyside, Washington, on Saturday, May 16th. The list of breweries includes over 20 of the most esteemed producers of lager-style beers from across the Western US. The event focuses on a single style: helles lager.
Spring in Eastern Washington offers warm, sunny days. The kind of days that welcome a crisp, refreshing helles lager. Along with beer, GOATFEST features food vendors and live music all day. Why goats?
Event Details
- What: GOATFEST 2026
- Location: Centennial Square, Sunnyside, WA
- Date: Saturday, May 16th. 3 pm.
- Tickets: Advance $45, at the door $55. (21+ event)
- Info: Official website
The event starts at 3 pm and takes place right across the street from Varietal Beer Co., in Sunnyside’s Centennial Square. So far, the musical lineup includes VaughtRock and Travis Hauck, with more acts to be announced soon. Food vendors include Heavenly Smoked BBQ, Chitoz Tacos, and The Corn Guy. Need a place to stay? Consider the Best Western Grapevine Inn, which is just two miles away from the event location.
The event is a benefit for Rod’s House, a local organization that provides services and resources to young people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. Get tickets and learn more here.
GOATFEST 2026 – List of Breweries
- Varietal Beer Co. (Washington)
- Barebottle Brewing (California)
- Barrels & Bottles Brewery (Colorado)
- Bierstadt Lagerhaus (Colorado)
- Bizarre Brewing (Washington)
- Formula Brewing (Washington)
- Geisthaus Brewing (California)
- Chuckanut Brewery (Washington)
- Gold Dot / Heater Allen (Oregon)
- Grains of Wrath Brewing (Washington)
- Halcyon Brewing (Washington)
- Holy Mountain (Washington)
- Human People (Washington)
- Ladd and Lass (Washington)
- Larrabee Lager (Washington)
- Little Letters/Douglas (Washington)
- Templin Family Brewing (Utah)
- Living Haus Beer (Oregon)
- Lucky Envelope Brewing (Washington)
- Otherlands Beer (Washington)
- Our Mutual Friend Brewing (Colorado)
- Recluse Beer Works (Washington)
- Stoup Brewing (Washington)
- Trap Door Brewing (Washington)
What’s up with the goats?
In the past, GOATFEST focused on bock-style beers, a traditional spring beer style. However, because bock is a formidable style of beer, packing plenty of alcohol, Varietal Beer Co. and the event organizers decided to switch to a different style. Still, GOATFEST remains a beer festival that celebrates the spring season. While moving from bock to helles, the goat theme remains.
Dating back to the 14th century, German brewers produced Maibock to celebrate the coming of spring. According to legend, this style was first brewed by monks in the German town of Einbeck. Historically, beer styles were often named after, or associated with, the places where they were created. Dortmunder originated in Dortmund, the original Pilsner came from the Bohemian city of Plzeň, and so on.
When the Maibock style was introduced to a larger audience outside Einbeck, in places like Munich, the town’s name was often mispronounced as “ein bock,” which roughly means “billygoat.” The connection between maibock and goats, based on nothing more than a common mispronunciation, has existed for centuries. Bock beers, especially Maibock, often feature labels and artwork depicting goats. And thus, GOATFEST.
Another theory involves the relationship between goats and fertility. A beer brewed for the spring. Spring is the most fertile time of year. Goats are notoriously fertile. Wait. What? Bunny rabbits, maybe, but goats? The whole mispronunciation thing seems more plausible.
Visit our events page and calendar to learn about all sorts of other upcoming beer events. To submit an event for inclusion on our events calendar, use our event submission form. Got more details to share, reach out to us.
