BALTIMORE — From National Bohemian to Gunther to Colt, Baltimore has a rich brewing history.

In Pigtown, just a few blocks from M&T Bank Stadium, what was once a storage warehouse is now a craft brewery.

"We thought it was a great location, here, right near the stadiums," co-owner Kate Conway told WMAR-2 News.

Every small brewery has a story. Pickett Brewing Company's started with garage beers, and neighbors Conway and Jason Howard.

"[Jason] is my neighbor. Our families are friends. Years ago, he would brew out of his garage, and whenever the garage door was open everyone would come over and drink beer," Conway recalled.

That turned into the brewery on South Paca Street, which opened in 2022. Small breweries like Pickett are all throughout Maryland, and next month, they'll gather in Frederick along the water at Carroll Creek Park for the 2025 Maryland Craft Beer Festival.

The festival is on May 10 beginning at 12pm. Tickets are on sale here .

Jon Zerivitz, senior marketing strategist for Cultivate and Craft, works with the Brewers Association of Maryland, and describes the festival as "the coming together of beer makers and beer lovers."

"This is a festival that is put on by the brewers for the beer lovers of Maryland," Zerivitz told WMAR-2 News.

As the Brewers Association's largest event of the year, the festival will feature more than fifty breweries, hundreds of beers, live music, and food.

"It is incredibly important that Marylanders come out and support their brewers," Zerivitz emphasized. "These are very trying times in craft alcohol in general, and especially for our brewers. So the more support that we can get out of this festival, the better chances our brewers have of continuing to brew great beer for all of Maryland."

Trying times, he explained, due to changes in consumer habits and economic factors.

For brewers like Pickett's, the festival means more than just showcasing their latest creations. In previous years, it gave them valuable exposure as brewers-in-planning and opportunities to connect with colleagues.

"It's just a really nice, fun vibe. It's a beer festival, right? So everybody's having a good time. Everybody gets to celebrate the industry," Conway added.

This report was converted from its original broadcast television script to a web article with the assistance of an AI tool. A WMAR-2 News journalist thoroughly reviewed its contents before posting it to our website.