Beertopia 2026:

Beertopia 2026 was another memorable evening of food, drinks, community and giving.

 

On Saturday, August 22, guests gathered at Veterans’ Hall at  the Manatee County Fair Grounds to enjoy tastings from local restaurants, sample craft beers, refreshing seltzers and premium spirits, browse auction items and spend the evening supporting two important organizations in our community.

 

Presented by Budweiser, Beertopia 2026 benefited the Eye Center, Inc. Vision Foundation and the Hernando De Soto Historical Society.

 

 

Beertopia is known for its food and beverage tastings, but the purpose behind the event is what makes it especially meaningful.

 

A portion of the proceeds supports the Eye Center, Inc. Vision Foundation, which helps provide access to vision care for children and families throughout our community.

 

Through referrals from Manatee County school nurses, the Vision Foundation provides free eye exams and complete pairs of glasses to local students in need, while also providing eye care for patients at local homeless shelters.

 

In recent years, the organization has provided free eye exams and glasses to more than 600 underserved students and more than 150 pairs of glasses to patients at Turning Points.

 

The Foundation has also helped connect local patients with specialized vision care and procedures that may otherwise have been out of reach.

 

Support from events like Beertopia helps make that work possible while also benefiting the Hernando De Soto Historical Society and its continued work in the community.

 

 

One of the highlights of Beertopia is the opportunity to enjoy tastings from some of our area’s favorite restaurants all in one place.

 

This year’s lineup included Big Top Brewing & Restaurant, Urban Taco, Riverhouse Waterfront Restaurant, Gecko’s Grill & Pub, Coast Seafood & Grill, Anna Maria Oyster Bar, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Central Café, Sunshine Biscotti, Bonefish Grill, O’Bricks and Mean Deans Local Kitchen.

 

From savory dishes to sweet treats, each participating restaurant helped make the evening a true tasting experience.

 

 

Guests also had the opportunity to sample a wide variety of craft beers, refreshing seltzers, premium spirits and non-alcoholic options throughout the evening.

 

A special thank you goes to Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, which supplied the breweries and beverage selections featured at Beertopia 2026. Guests enjoyed selections from brands including Green Bench Brewing Co., Motorworks Brewing, Elysian Brewing, Big Top Brewing Co., Sun King Brewery, Sun Lab, Florida Avenue Brewing Co., Tampa Bay Brewing Company, 3 Daughters Brewing and Coppertail Brewing Co., along with additional beer, cider, seltzer, spirit and non-alcoholic offerings.

 

With such a diverse lineup, guests had plenty of opportunities to revisit familiar favorites and discover something new throughout the evening.

 

 

The reactions following Beertopia 2026 captured the spirit of the evening perfectly.

 

Denise Sansosti shared: “Beertopia 2026 exceeded any expectations I had and will be on my calendar every year!” She also said the Hernando De Soto Historical Society “knows how to put on an event for a great cause.”

 

Troy Brown called it: “One of my favorite Desoto events. Incredible food, craft beer, and the best friends in the world!”

 

 

Vicky-Jo Palmer Duquette shared: “Another amazing Beertopia!! So much fun!!”

 

 

Other guests described the night as “such an amazing event” and “a wonderful great party.”

Those comments capture exactly what makes Beertopia so special — great food, great drinks, great friends and a community coming together to support organizations that make a difference.

 

Mark your calendar for Beertopia 2027 and stay tuned for more details. Saturday, August 21, 2027.

 

 

Beertopia would not be possible without the businesses, families and community partners who generously support the event.

 

A special thank you to Budweiser, our presenting sponsor, and Gold Coast Eagle Distributing for their continued partnership and support.

 

We would also like to recognize our 2026 Beertopia sponsors:

 

Conley Buick GMC, Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, Budweiser, Garcia Family Wealth Management Group at Morgan Stanley, Retina Treatment Center, Heath Marston State Farm Agent, First Southern Bank, RJM Contractors, Inc., Eye Center, Inc. – Manatee County, Callaghan Tire, CS&L CPAs, The Zirkelbach Family, Ben Brown Insurance Agency Inc., PetLift, Ansbro Aldrich Flooring, Inc., The Shinn Family, Sokos Properties, Merrill and Acrisure.

 

We extend our sincere appreciation to every participating restaurant, auction donor, volunteer, member and guest who helped make Beertopia 2026 a success.

 

Thank you for being part of another wonderful Beertopia.

 

 

Take another look at this year’s event by browsing the official 2026 Beertopia Program, featuring participating restaurants, beverage selections, sponsors and more.