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Meet Us By the River: Great Falls Brewfest in Lewiston

Our Road Team will be on hand at the Lewiston-Auburn Great Falls Brewfest later this month. Learn more about this unique festival now in it’s third year, and how to join us there. 

Luke Livingston, the founder of Baxter Brewing Company, had an idea a few years ago: organize a beer festival in Lewiston-Auburn that will bring a bunch of great breweries to a downtown park, and also bring thirsty participants from Central and Southern Maine to gather and enjoy great beer.

“I can’t think of a better way to welcome summer, and to kick off the festival season here in Lewiston-Auburn.”

— Luke Livingston, Baxter Brewing Company, before the inaugural event

And the Great Falls Brewfest was born! Presented by Baxter Brewing Company, that event in 2014 drew over a thousand people to Simard-Payne park along the Androscoggin River to enjoy beers from 30 invited breweries.

That first festival was a big success, and even Maine based beer writers who don’t always care for large scale beer festivals had to agree that the Great Falls Brewfest was one to plan to attend. The large outdoor location with plenty of non-beer options, the number of breweries and beers to cut down waiting in long lines, and also the focus on Maine beer including several companies who rarely participate in festivals.

Our friend John Bryant serves up a Baxter beer at the 2015 Great Falls Brewfest. Photo: Daryn Slover/Lewiston Sun Journal

Last year it was a little bigger and better, with minor changes that were designed with the guest in mind.

Coming up on the afternoon of Saturday June 25th, 40 breweries (over half of which are from Maine) will be on hand for this year’s edition of the Great Falls Brewfest. A quarter of the breweries are partners with The Maine Brew Bus, many of which have been at very few festivals (such as Bissell Brothers, Austin Street, Barreled Souls, and Fore River Brewing).

You need food? Eight different food trucks and carts will provide burritos, pizza, BBQ, sausage, sandwiches, fries, and frozen yogurt for you to enjoy.

You want music? Girls, Guns, and Glory from Boston will be playing rock-ish country-like music in the afternoon.

You like other activities? Canoe races, cornhole tournaments, disc golf, trail runs, and puppies for petting are all part of the fun too.

The Maine Brew Bus will also be on hand for the first time with our display booth, information about our 20 weekly tour itineraries, and our famous Wheel of Brew Trivia. This is your chance to show us what you know about math, science, history, geography, and vocabulary…of beer.

Tickets are on sale now, and can be found here. There are VIP tickets, General Admission, and Designated Driver levels available.

So if you don’t already have plans for that day, consider coming to this downtown Lewiston park for a truly fun beer festival.


Don Littlefield is the General Manager of The Maine Brew Bus. He enjoyed a Tribute DIPA from 14th Star Brewing of Saint Albans, Vermont while preparing this post. Twitter: @BeerinME