A big change is coming for Michiganbeer festivals, and organizers are saying that it will greatly improve the experience for attendees.
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The Michigan Brewers Guild says that as of its 20th Annual Winter Beer Festival, which will take place Saturday, February 28, 2026, at LMCU Ballpark north of Grand Rapids, attendees will no longer need to exchange tokens for beer samples. This change only applies to licensed beer festivals (such as the ones that are put on by the Brewers Guild) and does not apply to festivals that operate under special licenses.
Tokens No Longer Required at Michigan Beer Festivals
Festival organizers and attendees have been waiting for this change for quite some time. According to the Brewers Guild, the change will make festivals run more smoothly and will ultimately create a better experience for organizers and attendees alike.
The token system was in place to be in alignment with rules set forth by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC), but those rules have changed.
The Brewers Guild says that this change will,
“allow us to focus on other areas of festival operations, and token counting, cleaning, bagging, and collecting takes up a good chunk of time.”
Michigan Beer Fans’ Reactions to the Beer Festival Change
It’s not just the organizers who are excited about the change. Attendees are also happy that there will be fewer lines to wait in (for purchasing additional tokens) and more time to spend enjoying Michigan craft brews…