Tune In, Turn On
For two decades, promoter Jon Henderson and his Good Time Tricycle Productions have produced one of the biggest, best-attended annual festivals at the Jersey Shore.
The Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival has featured some of the biggest names in indie rock and punk, including Dropkick Murphys (who we saw perform at the ACB&MF’s Bader Field session in 2023 — an amazing show), Flogging Molly, Descendents, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Menzingers, Bigwig, Senses Fail and Saves the Day.
The “Last Call” final Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival takes place this Saturday, April 11 at the A.C. Convention Center. As usual there will be two sessions; one from noon to 4 p.m. featuring the band Bayside, with Special Guests Iron Chic and Make War; and a second session from 6 to 10 p.m. featuring headliners The Starting Line. The Emo/pop punk veterans released a new album in 2025, “Eternal Youth,” the group’s first new album since they went on hiatus in 2008. They will be joined by Special Guests Like Roses and Public Works.
“This year’s ticket includes tastings from all participating breweries, a commemorative 20th Anniversary mug, access to both music stages, demos, interactive entertainment, the Silent Disco, vendors and your final chance to be part of the A.C. Beer Fest story,” states the event website.
The Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival, or “Celebration of the Suds” was a huge success when it launched in 2006 with approximately 30 breweries drawing close to 3,000 attendees. In the two decades since, the festival has grown exponentially, now drawing in the neighborhood of 15,000-20,000 each year.
In addition to the multitude of breweries and vendors, there are familiar games including a giant-sized cornhole game, cooking seminars, mixology demos and more, making for a fun, multi-level experience each year.
There’s also Brew Cup Derby and Clash of the Kegs — the latter where “two contestants climb atop their wobbly pedestals, grab a foam jousting pole and prepare for battle. The mission? Knock your opponent off their perch before they send you bouncing to defeat!”
There’s also the Mechanical Megalodon: “Hop on our Mechanical Shark and hold tight as it twists, spins and tries to throw you off. Stay on as long as you can while the crowd cheers you on.”
The Beard and Mustache Competition, presented by the Garden State Beard and Mustache Society, has categories for all styles and lengths — “so bring your best beard game and compete for festival glory. Sign up at the event, show off your whiskers and let the crowd decide who reigns supreme.”
The night before — Friday, April 10 — there will be something called the Rare Beer Festival taking place from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Anchor Rock Club in Atlantic City, dubbed the unofficial “secret session” of the Atlantic City Beer Fest.
Come out and enjoy what’s being described as “25 of the region’s most unique, small-batch, cellar-aged, casked, weird, wild and otherwise impossible-to-find beers, each poured with the stories, insight and personality straight from the brewers themselves.”
For tickets and information see: www.acbeerfest.com.
