Great Lakes Beer Festival

08/28/2026

THERE'S STILL TIME TO VOTE!!☑️🗳

Had a great time at this year’s Great Lakes Beer Festival? 🍻🌊

Show us some love by voting for us for Best Local Event in the Midland Daily News Readers’ Choice Contest!

And don’t be shy about voting often — the contest rules allow you to vote once per hour, so keep those votes coming. 🙌

Thanks for supporting the Great Lakes Beer Festival and local events in our community!

Vote. Refresh. Repeat. ✅🍺

Vote here: https://www.ourmidland.com/readerschoice/...

08/18/2026

Had a great time at this year’s Great Lakes Beer Festival? 🍻🌊

Show us some love by voting for us for Best Local Event in the Midland Daily News Readers’ Choice Contest!

And don’t be shy about voting often — the contest rules allow you to vote once per hour, so keep those votes coming. 🙌

Thanks for supporting the Great Lakes Beer Festival and local events in our community!

Vote. Refresh. Repeat. ✅🍺

Vote here: https://www.ourmidland.com/readerschoice/ #/gallery?group=551025

08/18/2026

🏆 BEARD CHAMPION CROWNED! 🏆

The competition was intense, but one beard rose above the rest! Congratulations to Bill Kaunitz, winner of the 2026 Great Lakes Beer Festival Beard Contest! 🍺🧔

Bill took home the grand prize — a gas grill from Ace Hardware & Sports in Midland! 🔥 Now that’s a prize worthy of a championship beard.

A huge thank you to Ace Hardware for providing the grill, and to all of our contestants who brought some seriously impressive facial hair to this year’s competition.

Congratulations, Bill — enjoy the new grill! 👏🔥

08/14/2026

🍻 What a great time at the 2026 Great Lakes Beer Festival!

We had so much fun celebrating with everyone who came out. Check out some of our favorite photos from the event! 📸

See someone you know? Like, share, and tag yourself and your friends!

Thanks for making this year’s festival one to remember. We already can’t wait for next year! 🍺🎉

08/11/2026

🏆 WE HAVE A WINNER! 🏆

The competition was intense, the beards were impressive, and you definitely brought the heat to the Great Lakes Beer Festival Beard Contest!

A huge congratulations to Bill Kaunitz, our 2026 Beard Contest champion! Bill’s winning whiskers earned him a gas grill from Ace Hardware & Sports. 🔥🥩

Thank you to everyone who entered, showed off their legendary facial hair, and made this year’s contest one to remember. And a special thank-you to Ace Hardware for providing an awesome prize worthy of an awesome beard!

🍺 Cheers to Bill and all of our contestants!

08/09/2026

Another great festival is in the books!
Thank you to everyone that came and made it such a fun event! ❤️

08/09/2026

🍻 A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! 🍻

The 5th Annual Great Lakes Beer Festival wouldn’t be possible without the incredible businesses and community partners who helped bring this year’s event to life.

We’re grateful for the support of Midland Daily News, Big Rapids Pioneer, Richardson Auto Sales Midland, Z93...The Rock Station!, Ace Hardware & Sports, Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn Lodge, Bresky Siding & Building Repair, Fedewa Insurance Group/Farm Bureau Insurance, and McCreadie Sales Printwear & Promotion Plus. Your support helps make events like this possible for our community! 🙌

Please join us in giving these amazing sponsors a round of applause — and remember to support the businesses that support local events. 🍺👏

Thank you for helping make the Great Lakes Beer Festival a success!

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

08/09/2026

Thanks for coming!

So much fun! See you Next Year’