Forecast vs. Festival: How Weather Shapes the Craft Beer Experience

15 Jun Forecast vs. Festival: How Weather Shapes the Craft Beer Experience

Weather and Craft Beer Festivals: Why It Matters

The scent of hops floats on a warm breeze, guitars strum from a distant stage, and the buzz of excited festivalgoers mingles with the clink of pint glasses. This is what a perfect outdoor craft beer festival feels like—until the sky turns. Within minutes, blue skies give way to thunderclouds, and suddenly the atmosphere shifts from celebration to scramble.

For craft beer festival organizers, weather isn’t a minor inconvenience—it’s a game-changing force that can derail an event in a matter of hours. From safety to financial viability, weather plays a pivotal role in whether a festival goes on as planned or gets rescheduled entirely.

What’s at Stake When Planning Beer Festivals Outdoors

Planning an outdoor craft beer festival is equal parts logistics and luck. With dozens of breweries, food trucks, musicians, and vendors all relying on a smooth event, the stakes are high—and weather can tip the balance. At the core, it’s about attendance. A forecast that calls for thunderstorms or extreme heat can spook ticket holders, cutting turnout and sales. For vendors who prepare food or keg inventory in advance, lower crowds can mean a financial hit. Then there’s the guest experience. No one wants to sip a cold saison in the pouring rain—or worse, drink a room-temperature IPA on a 95-degree day. Rain can create muddy grounds, wind can topple tents, and heat can send guests scrambling for shade instead of beer lines. For Indiana On Tap, rain isn’t normally a major hurdle. It’s when the weather turns to thunderstorms that can derail an entire event.

When to Cancel or Reschedule a Beer Festival Due to Weather

So, how do organizers decide whether to forge ahead or pull the plug?

The timeline varies. Some producers monitor long-range forecasts a week out but wait until 24–48 hours before an event to make the final call. It’s a high-stakes judgment—too early, and they might cancel unnecessarily; too late, and they risk safety. It’s not just rain that triggers concern. Lightning within a 10-mile radius? That’s often an automatic evacuation. High winds? They can knock over tents and signage. Extreme heat can be just as dangerous, leading to medical emergencies and compliance issues with local permits. Indiana On Tap’s history shows that we have never had to cancel, let alone reschedule an event in the 10 year history of hosting these wonderful festivals. On Friday the 13th of June, that history changed.

Most festivals rely on a combination of weather apps, radar tools, and in some cases, even on-call meteorologists to help guide their decisions. Some events are insured under weather-related clauses, but coverage is limited and doesn’t always offset lost revenue.

Real Stories from Indiana On Tap

As I’m writing this, I can’t help but think that we should all be hanging out with 500 or more of our closest friends, enjoying the day and drinking awesome craft beer from around Indiana. Anderson On Tap is the first event in company history that we have had to reschedule due to weather conditions.

Let’s go back to Friday evening, we were all looking over the weather reports. Ticketed guests were sending in their own concerns with the weather potentially coming in to derail the entire festival. Our team had to set a time for when a final call need to be made. We were in conversations with the City of Anderson, who had already cancelled a concert Friday night and Saturday night due to the incoming weather. IOT waited as long as possible, and at 6pm last night we had decided to reschedule the event with the City’s blessing. There are several factors that came into conversations while we were discussing potentially moving the event to another date.

These factors boil down to the information that we have at the time a decision needs to be made. IOT had gotten calls from several vendors who had backed out of the event due to the weather coming in. The City of Anderson has cancelled their events for the same day. The weather report as of 5pm on Friday night showed that there were going to be thunderstorms in the area with an over 80% chance of these storms. There was also a special weather statement for cold air funnel systems in the area. With this information, we made the call around 6pm to reschedule the event. Less than two hours later, the weather forecast had changed and it turned out to just be a humid, semi-rainy day.

Weather Contingency Plans for Beer Festivals

Great outdoor events often have a Plan B that’s never seen—unless it needs to be. Backup indoor venues, tented areas, and even “rain dates” can offer organizers more flexibility. But not all venues or schedules allow for do-overs. In those cases, clear and proactive communication is key.

We always let guests know upfront: the festival is rain or shine. We will always put safety of our guests first,

Some organizers also offer partial refunds or credit toward future events if weather cuts festivities short—a goodwill gesture that can go a long way with loyal fans.

How Some Craft Beer Events Embrace Bad Weather

In my opinion, the craft beer community is resilient. We can drink through a little rain. When it comes to lightning and potential severe weather, that when our number one priority comes into play. Safety. Interestingly, some festivals lean into their seasonality. Autumn events embrace sweater weather, winter beer tastings are hosted in heated tents, and spring events often pair with mud boots and a “let’s roll with it” attitude.

Festivals that succeed in the face of bad weather often come away with stronger reputations—guests remember the experience not just for the beer, but for the shared story of enduring together.

Raising a Glass to Preparedness

Craft beer festivals celebrate creativity, community, and good times. But behind every outdoor tapline and music stage is a weather-watching team balancing optimism with preparation.

As the industry continues to grow, so too does the sophistication of its planning. Whether it’s sunshine or scattered storms, the best festivals are those that raise a glass—while keeping one eye on the sky.

Keep an eye out on our socials, Facebook, Instagram, X, and the Anderson On Tap ticket site for a new date once it has been determined.