# Crafted Beer & Cider Festival 2026: the grown-up day out, then home to Main Beach

> The Crafted Beer & Cider Festival turns ten on Saturday 12 September 2026 at Kurrawa Park, Broadbeach – an 18+ day of craft brewers, live music and food trucks, a short tram ride south of The Crest.

- Tag: Travel tips
- Published: 2026-07-12

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Most of the events on this stretch of coast are built for families. This one isn't. The **Crafted Beer & Cider Festival** turns ten in 2026, and its tenth birthday lands at **Kurrawa Park**, on **Old Burleigh Road**, just north of Kurrawa Surf Club, on **Saturday 12 September**, gates **11 am to 8.30 pm**, eighteen-plus only, photo ID at the door. For a guest at The Crest who wants a full day away from the kids' menu, it's one of the few dates on the Gold Coast calendar built entirely for adults.

## A decade of local and interstate brewers

Ten years in, the lineup leans heavily local: **Black Hops Brewing**, **Burleigh Brewing**, **Carbon 6 Brewing** and **Balter** anchor the tap list, poured alongside touring names like **Brouhaa** and a solid cider selection. The **Crafted Smokeshow** runs live low-and-slow BBQ through the day, slow-roasted meats and open-fire brisket among it, with an eating competition for anyone keen to test themselves. Food vendors fill in the rest, **Wagyu Blacks** for something more than a snack and **G-Free Donuts** covering the gluten-free end, and a **Ping Pong Competition** runs on the side for anyone after a break from standing at the bar. The full 2026 lineup and set times go up closer to the date on the festival's [own site](https://www.craftedfestival.com.au/).

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## Tram south, no parking to think about

It's a cashless festival on a one-day site, so the only things worth carrying are ID and a card. The **Main Beach G:link station** is **300 metres** from The Crest's door, and the line runs south through Surfers Paradise to **Broadbeach North**, a short run down the coast, the nearest stop to the park and a short walk in from there. Coming home after dark on the same tram beats hunting for a car in a precinct with none to spare; **complimentary undercover parking** is included at the apartment either way, so nothing is lost by leaving the car in the basement for the day. There are no pass-outs, so once you're through the gate it's a one-way trip for the day, worth pacing accordingly.

## What a ticket gets you

Tickets are released in tiers: **1st Release general entry from $55**, and a **Crafted Legends Club** upgrade at **$105** that adds prime seating, a brewery meet-and-greet, a lanyard, a wooden tasting paddle and a stubby cooler. Gate entry on the day runs **$70**, so locking in early is the better deal either way. General entry doesn't have to mean full pours all afternoon: a **$10 tasting paddle** buys a sampling set, with individual pours from **$3**, a cheap way to work through the tap list without committing to a pint each time. The park is one level on grass, with two accessible parking bays and Companion Cards accepted at the gate, and non-alcoholic options sit alongside the tap list for anyone pacing themselves through the day.

## Quiet by the time you're home

Broadbeach North to Main Beach is the same line in reverse, and Tedder Avenue is still going if a late dinner is the plan. Back at The Crest, **quiet hours run from 10 pm**, and the property carries **two heated pools**, indoor and outdoor, the outdoor one at **28°C**, open year-round. A soak in the **spa** or a stint in the **sauna** the next morning does more for a festival day's legs than another coffee, and both sit a lift ride from the apartment door.

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## Book for the weekend

**Saturday 12 September 2026.** Check-in runs 2 to 5 pm and check-out 9 to 10 am; a Friday-to-Sunday stay gives a settled arrival before the festival and a slow morning after it.

[**Check availability and lock in your apartment**](/contact/index.md), or read more about the [one-bedroom](/accommodation/1-bedroom-premium-apartment/index.md), the [two-bedroom premium](/accommodation/2-bedroom-premium-apartment/index.md), and the [two-bedroom standard](/accommodation/2-bedroom-standard-apartment/index.md).

Check [craftedfestival.com.au](https://www.craftedfestival.com.au/) nearer the date for the confirmed lineup and any late ticket-tier changes.