The Akron Art Museum is making some big changes for its 12th annual Art & Ale beer tasting.

The event is set for March 9.

Yes, that's a Saturday. The beer tasting has traditionally been held on a Friday night but it's being shifted to a Saturday and expanded with an afternoon (2 to 5 p.m.) and night session (6-9 p.m.). There also will be a VIP experience available.

"We're taking the last 11 years and multiplying it by two and moving it to Saturday," said Bryan de Boer, the museum director of advancement.

The reason is simple — there's more demand for tickets than the museum can handle. The event has attracted about 500 people a year.

The general structure will remain the same. The event will be held in the atrium and feature craft breweries and local eateries. There also will be judges' and people's choice awards handed out.

The museum is working out the details of the VIP portion of the event.

The galleries will still be open for people to visit, with the main exhibition featuring Chicago-based artist Nick Cave who works in the sculpture, installation, video and performance mediums.

Acme Fresh Market is continuing as the primary sponsor. Tickets are expected to go on sale next month.