What it was like
More than 75 independent craft breweries from across Los Angeles gather at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach on June 6, 2026 for one of the best single-day beer festivals in Southern California. The venue sits next to the Queen Mary — which means you spend the afternoon sampling some of the best small-batch beer in the region with one of the most recognizable ships in the world as your backdrop.
The LA Independent Beer Festival focuses specifically on LA-based independent breweries — not regional chain operations or national brands, but the small-production breweries that make the Los Angeles craft beer scene one of the most interesting in the country. Expect IPAs, lagers, sours, hazy pale ales, and more experimental small-batch releases from breweries that rarely get a San Diego platform. If you know the San Diego craft beer scene well, this is the event where you discover what is happening 100 miles north.
The festival runs from noon to 4pm. General Admission tickets include unlimited 4-ounce pours across the full lineup of participating breweries. VIP tickets include early entry at 11am and access to an exclusive lounge area near the waterfront. Designated drivers and non-drinking guests are welcome at a reduced rate.
Long Beach Shoreline Aquatic Park is located at 400 Aquarium Way, across from the Aquarium of the Pacific and adjacent to Rainbow Harbor. Parking in the downtown Long Beach lots runs $10–$15 for the day. The Metro A Line (Blue) stops at the Transit Gallery two blocks from the park, making this accessible from downtown Los Angeles without driving.
This is not the SD Brew Fest. It is not trying to be. The LA craft beer scene has its own character, and this is where you find it concentrated in one place.