Qingdao International Beer Festival – China’s Oktoberfest

The 2024 Qingdao International Beer Festival – China Oktoberfest (2024青岛国际啤酒节) will be held July 19th through August 11th, 2024 at Golden Sands Beach (金沙滩) WanRen Square (万人广场), located on Qingdao West Coast (Xihai’an – Huangdao District).

Other popular venues include: Century Plaza (崂山区世纪广场-青岛), located behind the International Convention Center in Laoshan District with additional satellite venues located in Pingdu, Jimo, and Chengyang.

When is the Qingdao International Beer Festival?

The festival has evolved from an annual two week international event during August into a month long Asian Oktoberfest. Festivities generally start late July and run through August.

Qingdao Beer Festival 2024 Dates

• Qingdao West Coast Main Venue – Xihai’an Golden Beach WanRen Square: July 19th – August 11th, 2024.
• Qingdao East Coast Venue – Laoshan Beer City Century Square: July – August, 2024.

What is the Qingdao International Beer Festival?

A festival in honor of the nectar of the gods, beer — how great is that? Every summer, during the months of July and August, Qingdao (青岛) hosts the largest beer festival in Asia with international breweries from all over the globe flocking to the sandy shores of China’s Sailing City in Shandong Province. With more than 2,000 beers from over 40 countries and regions, you’ll see the best of China’s beer drinking culture at this event.

Picture huge tables filled with beer-swilling, elated Chinese and beautiful women performing on stage as the sound of Gan Bei 干杯 !  (bottoms up) rings out across the numerous beer tents.

Music of all kinds is featured at numerous stage venues with beers on tap from around the globe: Beck’s from Germany, Kirin & Asahi from Japan, Carlsberg from Denmark, Corona from Mexico, Heineken from Holland, Tiger from Singapore, Budweiser from the states, and of course China’s Tsingtao Beer, just to name a few. Besides beer and themed mascots that follow the animals of the Chinese Zodiac, there’s tons of food, both Chinese and Western, to gorge on when you get the munchies.

If you’re at the east coast venue don’t forget, beautiful Shilaoren beach is just a 30 minute walk away! Mount Lao Scenic Recreation Area, only 30-40 minutes by bus or taxi from the Laoshan District Beer Fest, offers a refreshing reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the beer fest.

As a foreigner, you’ll be swamped with offers of free beers to “GanBei 干杯.”  I’ve gone to the beer festival in the past and not had to buy a single beer.  The Chinese are generous and kind, they are happy to show foreigners a good time.  I’ve seen only a couple of fights all the times I’ve been there, and that’s pretty amazing considering the amount of drinking that’s going on.  How good is the Qingdao Beer Festival?  Take it from a professional drinker, you’ll have a good time! ~ 2006

Qingdao International Beer Festival History

This annual event started back in 1991 as the 100th birthday celebration of Qingdao City. Originally it lasted for two weeks and began with a grand opening concert and ceremony, followed by beer tasting, evening entertainment, drinking competitions, carnival events, and concluded with a themed final ceremony. These first celebrations took place at ZhongShan Park, across the street from TianTai Stadium on WenDeng Road.

With Fei Fei the dolphin as the original mascot and more than 40 breweries from around the globe (Japan, the United States, Canada, Singapore and Germany) showcasing their brews at this inaugural bash it is no wonder that the annual event grew in popularity to become Asia’s largest beer festival.

In subsequent years, the Qingdao International Beer Festival (青岛国际啤酒节) moved to HuiQuan Square and finally Beer City in 1996. In 2012, the festivities moved once again to Tsingtao Beer Passion Square (青岛啤酒激情广场), also known as Qingdao Century Square (青岛世纪广场).

Since 2015, Golden Sands Beach on Qingdao West Coast (Xihai’an – Huangdao), has served as the beer festivals main venue with satellite venues located in Laoshan District, Licang World Expo Park, and Pingdu City.

The Qingdao International Beer Festival has matured over the years into Asia’s largest annual beer festival (Asian Oktoberfest) with more than 200 beer brands from all over the world having successfully participated.

• Grand Opening Concert & Light Show: July 19th, 2024.
• Grand Opening Ceremony: July 19th , 2024.
• Qingdao GanBei with the World! (青岛和世界干杯): August 10th, 2024.
• Closing Ceremony: August 11th, 2024.

Admission Entry Cost & Tickets

• Beer Festival Tickets: Free Admission (Huangdao & Laoshan)

Hotels Near Qingdao International Beer Festival

• Popular hotels at Golden Sands Beach WanRen Square (万人广场)
  * Hilton Qingdao Golden Beach: 1 JiaLingJiang East Road 青岛金沙滩希尔顿酒店, 中国山东省青岛市黄岛开发区, 嘉陵江东路1号.
  
• Popular hotels at Tsingtao Beer Passion Square (Qingdao Century Plaza)
  * Hyatt Regency: 88 DongHai East Rd. 青岛鲁商凯悦酒店,东海东路88号.
  * Kilin Crown Hotel: 197 XiangGang East Rd. 麒麟皇冠大酒店,香港东路197号.
  * Sophia Int. Hotel: 217 XiangGang East Rd. 索菲亚国际酒店, 香港东路217号.
  * SPR Hotel: 316 XianGang East Rd. 弄海园酒店,香港东路316号.
  * Blue Horizon Hotel: 18 QinLing Rd. 蓝海大饭店,秦岭路18号.
  * Home Inn: 33 XianXiaLing Rd. 如家快捷酒店(青岛香港中路店),仙霞岭路33号.

Other Places of Interest

• Qingdao Old Town – Full of German architecture and historical attractions.
• Qingdao Beer Street – Located in Taidong and centered around the Beer Museum & Tsingtao Beer Bar.
• Tsingtao Brewery Museum – China’s first beer museum and home of Tsingtao Beer.
• May Fourth Square – Monument to China’s May 4th Movement near the Olympic Sailing Center & International Marina.
• Zhanshan Temple – Close to the downtown Central Business District and the only temple and active Buddhist monastery located within Qingdao city limits.