Bring Back the Beer Festival at Marymoor Park

For over 25 years, Father’s Day in the Eastside meant one thing: a sea of white tents, the smell of kettle corn, and clinking of tasting glasses at Marymoor Park. The Washington Brewers Festival wasn’t just a beer event; it was a regional tradition where thousands of dads toasted to their day while kids ran through the grass with root beer floats.

However, the last few years have been a “dry spell” for this specific tradition. As of 2025, the festival has evolved and moved, leaving many locals asking: What happened to our park party, and how can we bring that Marymoor magic back?

The Marymoor Park Legacy: Why It Was Special

The Washington Brewers Festival at Marymoor Park was unique because it defied the standard “beer fest” mold.

• The All-Ages Vibe: It was one of the few places where you could find a bouncy house next to a barrel-aged stout.
• The Scale: At its peak, it hosted over 100 Washington breweries pouring 500+ different beers.
• The Atmosphere: The expansive “Velodrome” fields offered a sense of space that downtown venues simply can’t replicate.

The 2024–2025 Shift

In 2024 and 2025, the festival, now organized by the Washington Brewers Guild, moved to Seattle Center. While the new location offers incredible accessibility and urban energy, it came with major changes:

1. The Move from Marymoor Park: Rising costs and scheduling conflicts at King County Parks made the Marymoor Park venue increasingly difficult to secure.
2. The End of Father’s Day Weekend: The festival shifted to a Friday/Saturday format later in June, breaking the long-standing Father’s Day tradition.
3. Age Restrictions: Moving to a city-center venue often means shifting to 21+ only, losing that “family picnic” charm that Marymoor Park provided.

The Path Forward: Bringing the Festival Back

If we want to see a major beer celebration return to Redmond’s backyard, it starts with community support. Here is how we can advocate for a Marymoor Park return in future seasons:

1. Supporting Local “Satellite” Events

While the big guild fest is in Seattle, local spots like Postdoc Brewing (right next to Marymoor Park) and the Ballard Brewery District have started hosting their own Father’s Day weekend events. Supporting these smaller, family-friendly “mini-fests” proves that the demand for a suburban, all-ages celebration is still high.

2. Communicating with the Guild

The Washington Brewers Guild works for the breweries. Letting them know, via social media or their feedback forms, that Eastside fans miss the Marymoor Park experience is the best way to keep Redmond on their radar for 2026 and beyond.

3. Advocating for Public Spaces

Marymoor Park is a King County Park. As residents, advocating for affordable event permits for community non-profits like the Brewers Guild helps lower the barrier for entry that caused the move in the first place.

What to Do Next Father’s Day (2026)

Even without the giant festival at Marymoor Park, the spirit of Washington beer is alive and well.

The “DIY” Marymoor Park Fest: Grab a 6-pack from a local Redmond brewery (like Black Raven or Postdoc), pack a picnic, and head to Marymoor Park’s picnic shelters. It’s not the 100-brewery gala of years past, but the view is just as good.

Visit the Seattle Center: The official Washington Brewers Fest takes place in June, 2026. It features unlimited tastes, live KEXP DJs, and even professional wrestling.