Craft Lager Festival, Inc. is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization staffed by volunteers -- we are non-salaried and donate thousands of  hours to this event. We started the Festival to benefit local open space and parks, host a fun event for the community and support the remarkable art of craft brewing. 

We're not sure what the connection is, but there's a definite link between beer lovers and people who enjoy outdoor adventures!  Maybe it's the fact that we all enjoy the simple, yet wonderful pleasures Colorado offers.
Upon founding the Craft Lager Festival eight years ago, connecting people and open spaces with a unique beer experience became the core focus. That focus started as a grass roots effort and we're continuing to grow organically. Over the years we've been fortunate to consistently meet like-minded people whose goals align with our goals, and who want to help. The momentum and excitement behind this 100% volunteer event continues to multiply. We'd like to thank every person who has helped make this event possible, and if you're reading this -- that includes you!

Beneficiaries (Save a Tree?)

We've all come together to build a community, while financially supporting local open spaces and parks. To date the Craft Lager Festival has donated almost $42,000 to parks and open spaces. Our beneficiaries include:

• Friends of North Cheyenne Canyon
• TOSC- Red Rocks Open Space & Section 16
• Manitou Springs City Parks
• Manitou Springs Community Gardens
• Manitou Springs Amphitheater Project

We hope to continue to increase our giving and donations to key park areas. Our annual Festival has become a highlight of the Pike's Peak Region. We’ve been able to have a greater impact on the region with our continued success. Two days of sampling this country’s best lagers, listening to groovy tunes and hanging out with good friends in the quirky and eclectic town of Manitou Springs is sure to be an experience to remember.

Making a Difference

Ultimately our slogan reminds us that it's possible to have fun while doing good for the community. When we founded the company, the notion of "social-capitalism" was just forming. The idea essentially is designed around a "for profit" company that is run in a manner that's responsible to the best interest of the public it serves. We felt it would be a perfect model to run the Craft Lager Festival with one exception -- we wanted all of the profit to be used for the good that we could accomplish, so we formed a non-profit.

At the Craft Lager Festival we have one goal -- that we're always working towards making a substantial and long-term impact on the community. We choose parks and open spaces  because we can make a difference. After all, when you're outside, you're most likely enjoying a healthy lifestyle and often with your community of friends. Not to mention that Colorado has some truly amazing wonders in its park system and that's something we certainly want to support and protect.

We also want to lead in how we do business, assisting as many like-minded organizations as we can along the way. We lead in "competitive-cooperative brewing.” Warning Sign, the official beer of the Craft Lager Festival, was created with that in mind. It’s also a recipe we’re proud to serve. People come from all over to sample this exclusive Eis Bock.

The Festival takes more then 2,200 hours to produce and stage. It's no easy task. We’re thankful that we have such a dedicated and talented board to help. Beyond our board, our vendors, sponsors and of course the brewers work extremely hard to deliver you the finest quality event possible. And we thank each and every one of them for their commitment.